Reaching Salvation
by SpiritualxWolf
Summary: AU, post-apocalyptic. Follow the perilous journey of a man and his canine companion through the wilderness of Gaia as he fights for survival to reach the thriving city of Fort Condor, where it is said for new life to begin. CloudxTifa.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own any of the characters, places, names, or anything of Final Fantasy VII. This story was inspired by plots and settings of the post-apocalyptic game Fallout 3 and the novel _The Road_. This story is purely fan made and made for the enjoyment of writing.

**Author's Note**: This chapter is a test to see if anyone is interested and would want me to continue. Read and review. Thanks.

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**Chapter I**

"We shouldn't be here…"

"Are you kidding me? Do you see all this shit here?"

"Nah, I'm serious, Cooper. This guy could still be lingerin' around here somewhere, you know…jus' watchin' us…waiting…"

_Breathe._

"Oh shut the hell up, Dez. Look, I have all the weapons we need to protect our asses, okay? Now put _your_ ass to work and start goin' through the backpack over there. I'm eatin' this guy's breakfast. I'm freakin' starving."

_Load._

The middle aged man nodded over towards the black, grimy backpack as he knelt down next to the camp fire and ravenously dug into the open can of sliced pineapple. Dez turned his head over to the area where his friend was pointing to. The camp site was extremely small and seemed suitable for only one person. Just some blankets, a backpack, and a burnt out camp fire. The backpack sat on the bleak, gray forest floor next to a bundle of tattered quilted blankets. Leaves, dirt, and other ground litter covered the bag and the bulky blankets. The cautious man approached the bag slowly but quickly ceased his motions. Something didn't seem right.

_Aim._

Dez stepped back for a moment, feeling the sweat drip from his temples. His dark eyes left the bag and watched the woods. Black bare trees surrounded them with some managing to touch the concrete colored skies while others crumbled on the ground. Leaves, ash, and massive boulders blanketed the once flourishing terrain with hardly any floral life. No critters lingered. No birds sung. Nothing but the same dry wasteland he was used to. He looked up at the sky, seeing nothing but nimbus clouds rolling in from the west and heard to low rumbles of thunder coming. He felt the stale and cold air but it smelled rotten. He couldn't see it. But he could feel it. Someone was watching…

"Dez! Damn it! What the fuck are you doin'? Stop lookin' at the bloody sky and get all shit." Cooper hissed as he continued to chomp down on the pineapple. "Make sure you get all the blankets and crap too."

"Coop, someone's here."

The man waved off his friend's remark and he stood up. "Oh stop your damn worrying, man. If you keep fuckin' around like this then I swear I'll slit your damn throat." He then turned around and continued focusing on his food. "Look, I got your ass covered. I'm watchin' for the bastard. Trust me, whoever was here left. The ashes in the fire aren't even hot. So hurry up."

Dez shook his head. "N-no man…we gotta–"

Cooper whipped around facing the man with his yellow, hazel eyes burning into Dez's skin. He held the can in one hand while the other held the sharp can top to his partner's throat.

_Fire._

"Don't you ever say–"

Dez watched as Cooper's once wrathful and enraged face twisted into complete distress. His yellow eyes turned white and lifeless as the man dropped the items in his hands and immediately grasped his neck. His feet stumbled and his body swayed back and forth. He tried to choke out words to his friend, but alas no words could be formed. He tried gasping for air but it was no use. He was only breathing in blood, drowning his own lungs. His heart began to pound in his chest as he continued to gasp for air. Dez could only watch in horror as the dark crimson blood steadily poured out from the arrow wound at his neck. It was a clear shot; breaking through the cartilage around his neck and ripping through to his trachea. The man suddenly reached out to him and clutched his thick brown jacket before falling into the man. Dez caught his friend and felt the pressure of his full weight in his arms.

He was dead.

"Oh…oh Gaia…no no no no…"

Dez dropped the dead man from his arms and began to panic. He trembled violently as his eyes flashed over to the woods, looking over the dark trees, boulders, anything for someone or something. His heart was pounding so loudly against his chest he could barely hear the low, aggressive growl that erupted from the pile of blankets on the floor near him. His throat unleashed a scream as a dark figure popped out from the blankets and launched itself on him. It hit him so hard that he fell backwards onto the ground. Instantly, his arm was locked within the jaws of a wild beast that uncontrollably twisted and yanked at his flesh. The bite was so hard that it easily pierced through his thick coat and skin. Petrified, Dez wrestled with the wild, black animal as he screamed with agonizing pain. He was so disoriented he couldn't make out what exactly the beast was.

"Down, boy! Off!"

At once the beast released his powerful grip on the man and retreated. Dez abruptly scrambled to his feet held his flesh torn arm. He could feel the warm blood trickle down underneath his thick clothing while his arm grew numb with pain. He groaned as he slowly looked up and met with dark amber eyes of a dog.

The dog was a pure bred German shepherd with a thick, all black coat. He was snarling at the man while flashing his yellow, crimson stained canines as drool dripped from the sides of his black lips. He stood in a defending stance with his hackles raised and his pointed ears flat against his skull. The muscles underneath his dark pelt rippled, defining his brawny figure. He would have surely killed the man if he wasn't called off.

Dez looked over to see a man approaching. He was equipped with a hunter's bow, loaded with a steel tipped arrow ready to fire. He aimed at Dez's head as he inched closer. He was an average height man appeared about 22. He had spikey blond hair and piercing, indomitable blue eyes. He wore frayed dark blue jeans with worn black shoes. He had on an olive green thick jacket with its hood trimmed with various shades of brown animal fur. Underneath was a dark gray thermal sweater that hugged his muscular, lean frame. His clothes were tarnished and mucky with numerous earthly stains. He had a rather striking visage underneath the various cuts and scars and mud that tainted it. He stopped only a few inches away. Dez was motionless on the ground, too fearful to do anything.

"P-please…please don't–"

"Shut it." The blond man interrupted. "Get up."

Dez did nothing and right away regretted it. The man kicked him hard on his flank. He let out a loud groan and rolled on his hurting side. The excitement caused the dog to explode into barking. Calmly, the man hushed the dog and focused his attention back on Dez. He repeated himself.

"Get. Up."

Dez slowly got up, eyeing both the bow and the growling dog. He staggered for a moment to maintain balance. He held his wounded arm close to his chest as he stared blankly at man. Pain throbbed through his body. He watched the blond adjust his aim again, focusing on his throat. He watched his eccentric eyes trace over his body, examining every detail in his head.

"Empty your pockets. Coat and pants pockets."

Dez did as he was told and slowly pulled out the pockets of his tan, blood stained parka and his ragged pants. Nothing came out of them except for a pair of wool gloves and a rusty locket necklace. He held the golden locket for a moment before letting it drop down to his feet.

"Open your coat."

He frowned for a moment, a sad frown before opening his parka. He unzipped it and removed the canteen of water from his belt and dropped it. He had nothing else for the man. But the man continued to speak to him. He nodded over towards his dead partner.

"Does he have weapons?"

Dez nodded.

"Remove them from him and lay them on the ground next the other items."

Dez dragged himself over towards the corpse and fell to his knees next to it. It already stunk of death and warm blood. A thick puddle of blood surrounded the man's face and neck while the arrow still stuck out from his neck. Dez flipped the dead man over on his back and winced. He couldn't bear seeing the man. His face was covered in so much blood it made his stomach turn inside out. Carefully and quickly Dez removed a switch blade and pistol from the man's own coat. He tossed both items over to the pile. He looked back over at the blond man.

"Remove the arrow from his neck."

"Wh–?"

"Do it." The man ordered as he motioned with his loaded bow.

"Alright, alright. I'll…I'll take it out…" Dez reassured. The man remained impassive saying nothing in response.

He turned back to the body with a sickened face as his shaky hand grasped the protruding base of the arrow. He pulled hard on the arrow and watched it slowly sliding out of the side of the neck. He heard the sickly twisting of bone and cartilage and flesh as he desperately tried to remove the arrow. The sound was horrifying to his ears and he closed his eyes trying to block out such disgusting sounds. With a final yank, the arrow popped out. It was painted in dark crimson with small chunks of flesh still clinging onto the tip and sides of it. He threw it over to the pile and staggered to his feet, trying to hold in the bile creeping up his throat. He looked back over at the man ready to accept his fate of death, whatever it might be. Whether it was being shot in the throat like his friend, or to be the canine's breakfast. It didn't matter to him anymore. He just prayed it was quick. He could feel the hot tears swelling up in his eyes.

"Leave." The blond demanded.

Dez stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. He wasn't going to kill him? What? Or maybe he was waiting until he turned his back and maybe he was going to shoot him in the back of the head…

"I'm not going to kill you."

Dez stared at the man, perplexed. "What?"

"I won't kill you," The man stated again, slightly lowering his bow.

"But we just tried to rob you–"

"If you keep standing here I just might kill you. So I suggest that you leave now."

Dumbfounded, Dez started to run but quickly turned around. "Please, will you just let me have the locket? Please…it's the only thing I have of my wife!" He cried, almost begging.

Quickly the blond man went over to the pile of items and picked up the locket. He threw it over to the wounded man who caught it with his good hand. Then he turned and ran for his life, sprinting off into the woods of the black forest.

Cloud released a sigh as he watched the man flee away. The man was still likely to die. There was no way he was going to be able to survive the wilderness without any weapons or food or water. And with a wound like that, it was definitely going to be infected. He would be detected soon by the cannibals. In a way, he almost felt sorry for the man since he left him with almost nothing. But it could not be helped. No, in this godforsaken world, it was all about survival. Survival of the fittest.

Cloud knelt to the ground to examine the few items in the pile. He set his bow down and inspected the switch blade. He opened it to find the blade still in rather decent condition and still capable to pierce skin and carve things. Satisfied with it, he placed it in his pocket. He then picked up the sliver pistol. It was rare for someone to obtain such a weapon in the wilderness. Most of guns and other explosives were only found with the remaining ShinRa government officials and soldiers, never in civilian hands. He pondered how in the world this man was able to obtain it. He checked the ammo finding five 9mm bullets in the single magazine. Not much, but it would definitely do. He took it and hooked it through his black belt and concealed it with his jacket. He then took his arrow that was shot through the man and cleaned it off by running it against the ground trying to get off most of the blood and flesh.

Lightning soon enkindled through the dark sky. The thunder grew louder and it started to sprinkle cold rain drops. Quickly, Cloud rose and began gathering together the thin blankets to wrap them up and ready for departure. He needed to move hastily so that he wouldn't be caught in the pouring rain for too long. Before he started off, he checked his bag to make sure everything was in it; a few books, cans of food, a water canteen, and a few other things. He then strapped the blankets on his backpack and slid on the straps onto his shoulders. He looked down for a moment over at the black german shepherd that sat quietly and patiently, awaiting his next command from the man. The blond gave a soft smirk to the animal and called his companion over.

"You did well, Fenrir. But we're going to have to skip breakfast and probably lunch in order to make it to Gongaga before nightfall…and hopefully not be in the pouring rain for too long." Cloud said as he gave the dog a quick rub on his neck. In response, the dog simply wagged his tail and let his long, pink tongue roll out.

"And hopefully my uncle will be there to help us out."

_I just hope he's still alive…_

_I hope Gongaga is still alive…._

Suddenly a loud blast erupted in the sky and broke his train of thought. Blue eyes instantly met with the dark clouds and flashing lights above him. He needed to leave. Cloud pulled his hood over his head and continued his journey with Fenrir south to Gongaga.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

Chilly, icy rain sprinkled gently from the thunderous, shadowy sky as it continued to play its flawless demonstration of flashing and alternating lights. The cold rain soaked the black dog's rough pelt as he mutely explored the terrain ahead of him. Fenrir was vigilant as he watched and listened to the thin forest, taking note of even the tiniest of sounds and actions. His paws touched the ground lightly as they followed his black, leathery nose. The ground stunk of decaying matter and ash, but there was a faint smell of something unique that kept the dog full of curiosity and seemed to be leading towards Gongaga. After a couple of minutes or so of processing sights, sounds and smells through his brain, Fenrir glanced back over his shoulder to make sure his human companion was trailing not too far behind him. Cloud was only several feet away from the animal traveling with a somewhat quick pace. He was shivering slightly, with a rather acrimonious expression stuck on his face. He searched his coat pockets for a moment before pulling out and slipping on his gloves to warm his hands. He then equipped his hunter bow in one hand while the other tugged up the zipper of his thick coat for more warmth. The temperature always grew colder when the rain fell, and heavy rain was surely to come. Time was ticking away and nightfall was coming. Fast.

The man's breathing was loud as he inhaled and exhaled through his mouth. He tried to keep his breathing calm, but it only made his breathing louder. He was growing tired and his strength was draining rapidly. His stomach ached, his head throbbed, and everything seemed to hurt. He felt absolutely miserable and a bit angry like he did almost every day. But what he was particularly furious at was that he had lost so much time fighting off common robbers. Timing was something extremely crucial to Cloud, and the two men destroyed it. Now he was stuck in the light rain, racing against time, the weather, and nightfall. And there was no way he could stop now. His victuals were limited; enough for only tonight's dinner and water for the rest of the day.

Abruptly, Cloud seized his pace and was quick to bend over. He desperately sucked in the rotting air, needing to fill his starving lungs. His hands went to his knees to keep his balance as he wheezed. He could feel the cold sweat beads gliding down his face and curving around his cheek bones until gravity pulled them down to the floor of dead leaves. A hand then grabbed his hurting side that was smitten by a cramp. He heard Fenrir galloping over to him.

"Ahhh maaan…" He groaned. He looked over at his furry friend who stood in front of him, curious. They stared at each other for a moment until the dog began to lick his face with a small wag in his tail. Cloud waved him off and gave a weak smile.

"I know, boy. We just gotta keep moving…I know." Cloud wiped the sweat and rain from his face with the back of his gloves before he stood back up. He took out a torn, ratty map from the back of his pocket. It was faded with pieces of map taped and glued together. He examined it for a quick moment, estimating where he was and how close he was to Gongaga. He wasn't too far off and anticipated that he would get there in a matter of the next four to five hours. And hopefully in time to make it before the rain really started to fall.

After four and a half grueling hours out in the dripping rain, Gongaga was finally within Cloud's sight. He stopped just at the entrance of the town while Fenrir pursued onward to inspect the location. The man gazed upon the shattered structures of the peaceful and serene place that once stood. Gongaga was a small town with nothing but only a few homes, a graveyard and shops making up the place. Unfortunately, to Cloud's dismay, Gongaga was also burnt down and destroyed. Only a few buildings stood within the pile of rubble and ash that scattered the floor of the town. Even the local graveyard was demolished with only a couple of tombstones standing but all were illegible. Various human skeletal bones also seemed to decorate the dusty land, some shattered and some whole. Cloud dropped his head. He obviously was way too late. Gongaga could have been bombed and raided years ago. There was no way his uncle could have survived. A sense of hopelessness filled the young man's heart. He had to be dead.

But despite the tragic loss, the blond moved on and decided to search his relative's abode for any source of food or water that might have survived in the attack. His uncle's home was the third house down and fortunately, was one of the few homes still barely standing. The brick home was fairly small with most of the roof missing and had a half standing front porch that was no longer white as Cloud had remembered. The matching chairs were full of dust and had fallen over to their sides. Cloud approached the door and lightly grasped the rigid door knob and tried to twist it. The door knob was securely locked, but as he pulled forward the door began to creek open. Immediately, the blond released his grip from the knob and quickly took a step back from the door, ready to load and kill with his bow if anyone came out from the home. He titled his head a little to the side to see that the door had been pried open. Cloud turned his head over his shoulder to look for his dog who was trotting over after hearing the rather loud noise. He slowly knelt down until he was level with the black canine.

"All right, boy. I'm gonna let you go in first. Keep quiet," He whispered. The dog cocked his head and flickered his pointy ears before slipping through the tiny slit of the open door. Cloud soon went in after him, who was forced to open the door a little further in order for his frame to fit through.

The kitchen was dark with only faint streams of dusk light pouring through the cracks of the walls and the ceiling. Everything was a complete mess; some of the cabinets were open, broken dishes were scattered across the floor and counters, and blood stains and bullet holes were plentiful across the walls of pealing wallpaper. Fenrir's nose was guiding him in mixed directions. There were so many scents that filled his nostrils, but the strange scent that lingered back in the woods was still very much alive within the room. Cloud carried on, moving with stealth to room after room. He checked the living room and the remains of the damaged bathrooms to make sure no one inhabited the house. After clearing the first floor Cloud slowly ascended up the broken stairs, taking precise and cautious steps. There were two bedrooms on the second floor, his uncle's room and a guest bedroom. He made is way first to the guest bedroom, carefully placing his gloved hand on the knob and twisted. The door opened, but just barely. He applied more pressure for a moment but the door refused to budge. He then took a quick peek through the small opening to find that the roof above the room had caved in.

_Let's hope nobody was in that room…_

Abandoning the door, Cloud went into the main bedroom. It was plain room was dim with a simple broken and tattered bed and a few fallen wooden dressers. There was a small window that was boarded up blocking up most of the little light that tried to sink through. Broken picture frames, glass, illegible books, ash, and rotting clothes filled the floors of the room. Just complete chaos. The blond observed the room carefully, looking through all the drawers and scanning the floor for anything useful, pictures, or a perhaps the carcass of his uncle. But to Cloud's relief, there was no body to be found in the room or within the whole house. A flicker of burning hope filled his peculiar blue eyes. Maybe his uncle was still alive after all. Cloud sighed and took a quick peek through the small slots between the wooded boards of the window. Daylight was almost burnt out and the melodic rain continued to fall but with thicker drops.

_Looks like I'm going to be camping in here tonight._

As the man was walking away from the window he noticed something below the window. There was a faint incision in the wall in the shape of a rectangle half hidden by the headboard of the bed. He cocked his head to the side in puzzlement. Curious, Cloud hooked his bow onto his backpack and began moving the queen sized bed. He pulled the headboard with a couple of hard yanks and managed to move the bed over enough to see the wall incision. He knelt down in from of it and removed the switch blade from his belt and jammed it through the wall slit. Pulling the blade forward, he was able to remove the geometric shape and revealed to be a hidden compartment. Inside sat a dusty, oak box. Taking it in both of his hands, Cloud stood up and eagerly opened it.

Inside were three gun magazines, golden and various jewelry, a small blue velvet jewelry bag, some gil, a folded letter and a buckskin casing. He took the small, yellow stained letter from the box and unfolded it. He was familiar with the majestic font and ink that was used in the writing. It was his uncle's.

Cloud –

I don't know if you'll ever be reading this or not, but if you are, thank goodness you're alive!  
If you are reading this, I know that tragedy has probably struck our family yet again.  
And I know that probably your mother told you to come after me.  
You're probably wondering why I'm not in Gongaga with you. And I'm terribly sorry I'm not.  
But I must inform you that my immediate leave was required and absolutely necessary.  
I had to depart because I am a part of the rebellion against ShinRa and have recently joined the organization known as AVALANCHE.  
It's a bit hard to explain in a small note such as this everything that's going on…but I do want you to know that I will still be alive when you find this.  
Again, I apologize that I am not in Gongaga and unfortunately you will still have to persist on finding me.  
You need to find me. You have to find me. Why? Because your precious life depends on it.  
Where do you need to go? North Corel. It is one of AVALACHE's base locations.  
It's where you'll be safe and where hopefully I will meet you.  
In this box, I placed some of my own personal items that will benefit you while on the road.  
This is no easy journey, Cloud, as you have already experienced. Death lurks around every corner and fate is in your own hands.  
But I have strong faith in you.  
You always were a brilliant, witty intellectual and had tough courage.  
And I know you don't go anywhere without that drooling mutt of yours.  
So I expect to see him too.  
Always be on your guard and stay sharp, kiddo.  
I'll keep you in my prayers.

– Uncle Reeve

_Holy hell. North Corel?_

_Is he serious? That's all the way back up north!_

_How in the world am I gonna get all the way up there alive?_

_And who the hell is AVALANCHE?_

_What the hell happened here?_

Folding up the note, Cloud placed it in his back pocket along with his map. He then examined the various jewelry left for him. There were pearls, golden lockets, and gems and a ring. He picked up the ring finding it had the same face of a fierce wolf as the metal ring on his finger. He took the pile of jewelry and placed it all inside the velvet bag. He unzipped his coat and placed the bag into one of his inside coat pockets. Cloud then took out the brown leather casing and dropped the wooden box on the floor. He took off the buckskin casing to find a large clip-point knife. It was long, about half an arm's length, and clean with a sharp edge. It was hand crafted with a wooden handle strapped with leather for better gripping. The blond smiled. Just what he liked.

As Cloud was putting his new knife away, he heard an outbreak of dog barks downstairs and a foreign, small voice accompanying it. Instantly, Cloud left the room and crept down the staircase to observe the commotion going on in the kitchen. He stopped at the last step and stood with his back against the wall. He loaded his bow as quietly as he could and peeked around the wall.

The german shepherd stood in a shifty stance, but seemed rather calm than threatening. His barks were strident, but not hostile. Cloud was slightly baffled by Fenrir's reaction to the intruder. But he continued to watch, trying to keep his relaxed state.

"Shhh! Shut up, you stupid dog! Get out of here…please…shoo!"

Extending his head out a little more, Cloud saw a small figure hiding inside of one of the ground kitchen cabinets. It was a young woman who looked about the same age as himself. She had thick long, dark brown hair that fell to the middle of her back and parted bangs. Her eyes were amber brown that almost had a red wine hue to them and illuminated against her ivory skin tone. She wore a slimming black double breasted jacket and wore a plum colored scarf that hung loosely around her neck. She had on skinny jeans tucked under black one inch heeled boots and fingerless gloves. She had a large gray side bag with her that was enveloped around her arm protectively while she tried swatting away the dog like he was some kind of bug.

"Go! Get! Come on…Get out of here, mutt!" The girl hissed as she tried to whisper. "Are you trying to get…"

Her voice faded as her eyes feasted upon a man emerging from the staircase with a loaded bow, aimed directly at her exposed neck. She froze in her cramped position within the cabinet staring blankly at the marksman as he inched closer to her. The dog quieted a little as Cloud approached, but his deep stare was still fixated on the brunette.

"Get out," He commanded. Submissive, she grabbed her gray bag and crawled out of the small space and slowly got to her feet. She tucked at the collar of her jacket, feeling his dead aim on her flesh. He could feel her tenseness.

"Let me guess…you want my bag, right?"

"Drop it."

"All right, calm down…" The girl muttered and put her bag gently to the ground. A few clanks were heard from the inside of it. But suddenly, the woman started towards the man with her hands shifting to her coat pockets. Cloud tensed and was ready to shoot and take off her head.

"Get back!" He demanded with a voice loud and rough.

"You won't shoot me…" She taunted, sounding entirely certain.

"Just watch me," Cloud replied as he closed an eye and targeted her fleshy neck.

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**Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews everyone! I am definitely continuing this. The plot will open up more in later chapters.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III**

"Wait!"

Cloud was only seconds away from releasing his arrow when the woman's voice caught him. She held her delicate hand up in front of her, stopping the man's actions. In her other hand she pulled out a small bottle full of clear, clean water. Fresh water. His deep blue eyes danced from the clear liquid to the female. He was hesitant and unsure of what to do.

She was a remarkably beautiful woman. He couldn't help but take in her delicate feminine features. She had a striking bone structure and notable lean and curvy physique. Her mesmerizing gaze could stop any man in their tracks. Including him. However, he wasn't afraid to dismember the porcelain beauty if he had to.

"I have water…here…" The woman took slow steps as she came in closer to the man, putting him under her spell. She watched him loosen his tension and let his guard drain down. This was her chance. As the young man brought his bow down, she clenched her hand tightly into a fist and launched a powerful straight punch into the side of the blonde's face. Instantly, he was knocked off balance and lost the grip of his bow. He stumbled as he desperately tried to regain his balance, but he tripped over his feet and slammed into the wall. A series of loud barks and growls soon began to ring through his ears as he staggered around trying to get reoriented.

But as Cloud was recovering from the blow, the woman was quick to react. She dashed back to her side bag and whipped out a beer bottle and a dark gray hooded jacket. She first turned her attention to the charging German shepherd, flashing his canines at her ready to take a bite. When the dog was close enough, she smashed the body of the beer bottle onto the broken tiles of the kitchen floor making glass and alcohol splatter everywhere. The dog's amber eyes squinted shut, feeling the beer burn in his eyes and the shattered glass flying at him. The animal jerked his head back and silenced himself while his paws skidded to a stop. Grabbing her extra jacket, she threw it on the mutt to try to confuse it even more. It failed, however, as the dog wrestled with it for only a second before getting back on his paws. The brunette grabbed her broken bottle to defend herself against the animal. But as she was about to strike, a sudden, large force crashed into her.

Cloud tackled the woman before she could take another strike. They wrestled with each other as he tried to pry out the sharp weapon from the young woman and tried to hold down her body with his weight. She was feisty as she squirmed and kicked, desperately tossing her small body around to free herself. She flung around her broken bottle frantically at the man making it harder for him to control her arms and to settle her down. She even cut him up a little in the face and arms. They were rolling each other over and over, hoping to dominate the other to gain control. After more several tosses and turns, Cloud managed to plant her flat on her back with his knees securing her torso. Abruptly the woman panicked, barely able to find the energy to fight against the sturdy man. She could his weight was starting to crush her. Finally, he got hold of her arms and was able to rip out the bottle from her hands. His hand held her wrists with a tight grip above her head while he placed his clip-point knife to her throat. He placed the blade next to her external carotid artery, ready to pierce through it with one quick jab. His blue eyes locked with her brown ones, gazing long and hard into them. They were swollen with tears and flooded with trepidation. He could feel her heart pound against her chest and her breathing increasing. He bent his arm back. She shut her eyes as the tears curved down her cheek bones. He drove the knife…

"No! Please!" Her pastel pink lips gasped out.

"Don't kill me…you can't…please, oh Gaia, please don't…."

Cloud stared at his knife, waiting for the blood to ooze out from her ivory throat. He waited for her worthless cries to stop. He waited for heart to stop beating…but he could still feel her, fully alive. His arm had stopped its momentum and the blade was still stainless and still sitting at her exposed throat. He was puzzled with this picture. He had killed women before all whom were bandits and robbers, so why couldn't he kill this woman? She wasn't any different.

"I can…I can help you. I can help you. I–I know my way around here…"

He gazed into her fearful eyes again as they gazed back. They reminded him of same fear he once saw on someone. Someone from his lost and distorted past. And it haunted him…

He could feel the burning, torching flames…

The chaotic screams and havoc…

The death and the pain…

He hated it.

"I know where food…and–and water…where clean water is…I can take you there!" she stuttered out.

"I can't trust you," He stated, digging the knife at her skin but not drawing any blood.

"You're just gonna have to trust me! I can help you survive! I can…I'll take you to where ever you wanna go. I'll show you the way! I promise, I promise," She implored. "And if I break it, you can kill me!"

Cloud broke his fierce eye contact with the woman and looked over towards the tile floors for a moment. Millions of thoughts were running within his brain cells as he silently debated the situation. He couldn't decide whether to ruthlessly slaughter the woman or to gamble with risk.

Silence filled air as the man and the woman stared at each other again. The woman's breathing calmed and her body relaxed. The once soft pitter-patter rain drops were now pounding against the house. Water leaked from the roof in various areas of the uninviting home, dripping onto the floors and cabinets. The scent of the air changed from dusty, antique smell to a stale, wet ash stench. Nightfall had fallen upon the wasteland, making the room dangerously dark. Only the silver light illuminating from the full moon lit up the rainy night.

"Trust me," She said.

His glowing blue eyes narrowed. "Get up."

Cloud shifted his body off her, gripped her coat collar and violently yanked her up. Her body jerked forward, and she gasped out a deathly scream as she got to her feet. Keeping the knife steadily at her throat, he took both her wrists behind her back and shoved her over to the stairs. Instantly, her feet put on the brakes to resist. Her small heels screeched and scratched against the kitchen floor while her back applied pressure against him. It only made him shove harder.

"What the hell are you doing? Where are you trying to take me?"

Cloud ignored her and guided her through the kitchen and up the stairs with Fenrir trailing behind him, growling. He could feel her panic as they approached the doorway of the bedroom. She grew aggressive again and began throwing her shoulders around to free her locked hands. Emotions kindled in her eyes, and she was determined not to get into the room. He struggled with her for a moment in the doorway, trying to keep the knife at her throat as a threat. The blade didn't seem to matter to her anymore.

"Get your damn hands off me!" She demanded with a hissing voice. "I told you I would get your sorry ass out of here, not fucking pleasure you! Get _off_!"

Cloud rolled his eyes. That was the last thought in his mind at the moment.

"It's not what you think, damn it," He muttered.

After ramming the young woman through the doorway and into the room, Cloud released her. He sighed as he locked the door after his furry companion came in, tired of the hectic day. He sat down on the floor next to the door against the wall in a horrible posture. He removed his backpack, bow, and quiver from his back setting it down next to him. Hunching over, he put his elbows on top of his bent knees and placed his visage into his hands. His head was aching. His body was tired. He didn't know what to do with the woman. He didn't trust her. She didn't trust him. There was no such thing as trust anymore. Trust doesn't exist in this world. Not anymore.

Stillness began to taint the moist air as the rain's unremitting melody played noisily against the house. The room was dark with limited moonlight seeping through the cracks of the boarded window. Unable to think anymore, Cloud looked up from his palms across the room to the woman. He had to focus his eyes a little to see her curled up in her dark corner. Her arms wrapped around her bent knees to hug herself for warmth. Her countenance was mixed with emotion as she cursed under her breath at herself. Her dark eyes stared immensely at the wall on the other side of the room away from him, as if she were trying to burn a hole in it. She paid no attention to the lurking creature below, Fenrir, who was curiously inspecting the room with glittering night eyes.

"So…are we gonna wait for the rain to stop?" The brunette spoke, staring down at her boots.

Cloud laid his head back against the wall. He hated talking. Or rather, he forgot how to.

_Especially to this girl…._

"We're leaving in the morning."

"You don't travel at night?"

"No."

"Why not?"

_You just don't._

"The rain. Cannibals. Beasts. Robbers."

She frowned. "It doesn't matter if it is night or day, it's always like that."

They were quiet for a while after their brief talk. Fenrir eventually settled down in the middle of the room floor, curling up into a ball and nuzzling his muzzle underneath his bushy black tail. Cloud's eyes grew heavy as the darkness began consuming his vision. He knew he didn't have to worry about much. Fenrir was a great alarm system if the woman dared to even stick him in his sleep. But he still kept his trusty hunting bow close to his side, and he knew where his knife was. As he was just moments from falling into a deep slumber, he heard the woman's body shift uncomfortably. He could hear her breathe into her hands and her body shivering in need of warmth. His eyes opened again as he let out a frustrated sigh.

_This is gonna be a long night…_

He stayed up a little while longer and tried to adapt to the new presence. She was just as awake as he was, still staring at the wall across from her lost in her own conscious. She said nothing to him as she finally found a comfortable position to relax. This was all too strange to him. He couldn't remember the last time he had human company with him. People were obviously hard to trust and for him, to get along with. They were too much additional responsibility. He always preferred to travel as a lone wolf with just his dog by his side.

_Shit out of luck his time…_

_Just another burden on my shoulders…_

He grumbled quietly to himself and then closed his eyes to finally rest.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter IV**

The morning was peaceful and quiet as he awoke. The soft sound of drips echoed throughout the homely abode. The sky was cloudy with no sun to greet them. The air was chilly and wet from the night's shower. Fenrir was already wide awake, as usual. He seemed bored lying on his side with his head tucked between his two front paws and his ears perked up. His dark eyes watched his owner intently, patiently waiting for his command for the go. On the other side of the room, the woman still sat unmoved from the night. Her brown, wine eyes stared down at her feet, blank and uncaring. She looked tired, like she had just given up trying to force herself to sleep. He didn't blame her though. No one ever got a good night's sleep out in the wasteland.

Cloud yawned quietly as he stretched out his arms and legs before he got up. His movements excited his animal companion, who joyfully thumped his tail against the floor and raised his head. The girl remained motionless, but her eyes were suddenly fixated on him. He geared up; making sure his hunting bow was still good and attached it behind him. He checked his backpack and quiver and found that he still had all his items. He looked in his bag for breakfast, but alas, he was all out of canned food. He took out his canteen instead and shook it to find some water left and drank a little. He signed to himself and casually zipped the backpack up. God, he was hungry. He could feel his stomach starting to twist and ache. He sighed and looked over at the watchful woman.

"You ready to head out?"

Her brows furrowed, and she said nothing.

_She just doesn't want to make this easy, does she?_

Cloud shrugged. "Okay. Let's go."

There was no way he was going put up with her stubbornness in this trip. She was either going to nod and obey him, or he would have to make her obey. And so far, she had already chosen the second choice. So he approached her with quick feet and grabbed the brunette's wrist. He jerked up on her feet and began to pull her over to the door where Fenrir already stood.

"Hey!" The girl protested as she was being pulled. She yanked back and put her brakes on. But he refused to listen to her and ignored her ignorant objection. He wanted to leave, not listen to her babble her head off because she wasn't listening to him. Somehow her wrist managed to get out of his death grip.

"If I'm gonna be traveling with you, I _refuse_ to be manhandled, do you understand me? I'm not your _bitch_ or anything, got it? I'm just here to get your ass to food and water. That's it. Now you either treat me like a damn _lady _with some respect, or you and your damn dog can go rot in the hell hole of starvation because I _know_ you're starving. _Everyone_ is starving. So, what's it gonna be?" She hissed.

He stood impassively with his arms folded across his chest and chuckled. Clearly, he wasn't fazed, but he did find it humorous. He had manners, though. He knew how to _kindly_ treat a lady. It was basic etiquette he learned long ago when he was just a child growing up. But times have definitely changed. There weren't any manners here. Hell, he didn't even know that word was still used in today's language.

She frowned, putting her hands on her hips. She apparently didn't find it so amusing.

"What's so funny?"

"Alright, Miss," He said as he waved off her question. "I'll treat you like a _damn_ lady. You just need to learn how to listen and respond when other people are talking to you. Just lead the way."

Her eyes narrowed as she shoved her way passed him and his dog and stood at the door.

"You know I do have a name. It's Tifa. Use it." She snapped over her shoulder before she exited.

_What have I gotten myself into…?_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The journey to…well, where ever she was taking them, was actually quite peaceful and safe. The dead trees soon began to die down and the scenery became flat and open after several hours. They could actually see more of the ground than in the wooded area and see the small weeds and shrubs barely surviving. Everyone seemed quiet and spread out. Fenrir, as usual, was ahead of everyone being cautiously aware of which direction the female was leading. Tifa followed behind him, muttering something to herself every once in a while with a stern look on her visage. Cloud was last, falling not too far behind the girl with contentment and curiosity. He knew he was taking a huge risk but at this point, it was either believe this woman and get some food, or starve, as she stated earlier. She was heading north anyways, which was where he needed to go.

After a somewhat long travel out in the open, Tifa spoke up.

"We're almost there. It's a really small town. I run a business there."

She looked over her shoulder at the silent man.

"With a friend."

Cloud said nothing, but he looked at her.

She held his questioning gaze for a second before turning her head back to watch Fenrir.

"He doesn't like me showing up with armed strangers…"

'_He?'_

_Who's he?_

She fell silent for a moment.

"So what's your name?"

"…Cloud."

"And who's that?" Tifa asked, pointing to the roaming dog.

"Fenrir."

"Fenrir? What kind of name is that?" She half joked.

Cloud shrugged. "It's just a name."

"Oh…"

Silence.

Two hours passed until they finally come upon the small town. A really small town. There were only two buildings standing that were huddled across from each other. One appeared to be an apartment building with only two floors with the rest of the top floors blown off. The other looked like a small postal office. Other houses and structures around them were all destroyed and gone. It looked completely deserted, and it was too quiet. Even the standing buildings even looked like they were going to crumble into the same fate as the others did at any moment. As they entered, Fenrir fell back to Cloud's side, and Tifa continued to trot casually to the postal office building. Cloud followed, but he couldn't help but feel like someone was watching.

The shop was quite nice and organized. The counter was used as a bar and had a few rusty stools and chairs pulled up against it. Behind it were massive shelves of cubbyholes. One side full of booze, the other full of food. There was also a door off to the side, sort of hidden from the view. Against the rest of the walls were piles of mail and paper stacked up to look like seats. Dust and other small particles floated aimlessly in the old air.

"Home sweet home," Tifa sighed as she trekked behind the counter. She took off her gray side bag and placed it on the bar before going to the closed door.

Cloud wondered around for a second examining everything before settling himself in the corner of the room, not too far from the exit. He felt uneasy as he shifted his weight uncomfortably.

_Something isn't right about this place…_

_I don't know what it is, but I hope she knows what she's doing._

Cloud glanced over at Fenrir, who too mirrored the same feeling. He could hear him let out a low growl.

"Hey…" Tifa said as she knocked on the door. "Johnny, you here? Johnny?"

No answer.

She shrugged and moved out from behind the counter. Cloud flashed a doubtful look.

"That's Johnny's room. He's the one who opened this place. He opened it to help out travelers. He's a nice guy."

"He's not here?" The blond asked.

"No, he's probably out getting more supplies or something like that."

"Okay. Well, I need to load up real quick," Cloud grunted as he made his way behind the counter. He wanted to get what he needed and get out. He could still feel that weird feeling in his gut. Tifa stepped aside and folded her arms across her chest. Cloud placed his backpack and gear down on the counter and began to gather consumptions but was interrupted.

Someone was coming in.

_BANG BANG BANG!_

"_TIFA!"_

Tifa quickly dashed over to the front door to open it, but the intruder already managed to fumble inside.

"J-Johnny?" Tifa uttered as she gazed at the rough looking man puzzled. His hazel eyes were blood shot, dilated, and filled with untamed rage. His greasy red hair sat messily on his head, drenched in his own sweat and what looked like dried blood. He was shirtless and his body was stained with splotches of dried blood, dirt and sweat. He stunk of alcohol and something incredibly rotten and foul. His body trembled as his eyes danced between Cloud and Tifa. He dropped a heavy sack he was carrying and it landed with a hard thump.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

Johnny's jaw tightened. "Shut up! Who the fuck is that?" He pointed.

The woman looked back at Cloud, who moved himself out from behind the counter, then back to the red haired man.

"He's just a friend…He needed to get some food and water."

"You were supposed to be getting supplies…"

"Well, I was but–"

"But you come back with this piece of _shit_. What the fuck, Tifa? Hm? I thought you weren't a slut?"

Tifa's mouth immediately shut. She took a step back, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing coming out of Johnny's mouth. Cloud waited and placed a hand on the grip of his knife. Fenrir impatiently growled louder, but Johnny seemed to not even notice the animal.

_Nice guy, huh?_

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Tifa whispered, refusing to even look at him now.

Johnny burst out laughter. "What the hell is wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with YOU? You were supposed to be _mine_. But no. You go out and get fucked by pretty boy over here." He then set his wild eyes on Cloud. "You fucked her didn't you? Didn't you?"

_Whoa!_

_Wait, what?_

"What's pretty boy got that I don't?" Johnny yelled as he started to snake closer to the dark haired woman with pure lust in his eyes. He licked his lips. "Well, I don't care. I _get_ what I _want_. And YOU are going to be mine, you stupid whore!"

Suddenly, Johnny charged at the woman, ready to take her. Out of instinct, Cloud pulled Tifa away and slammed into Johnny and onto the floor. Johnny threw a hard punch but hardly had any aim. He was probably too intoxicated and drugged out to be any good. Cloud took advantage of his hazy state and quickly took his knife out. Johnny struggled, slowly realizing that he was defenseless against the blond.

In seconds, the fight was over. Cloud stuck him clear in the throat with his knife. Instantly, Johnny's hands flew to his neck, grabbing the knife to try to rip it out of him. Panic swarmed over him and his body jerked violently as he tried to break open Cloud's death grip on the weapon. He tried to speak, but all he could do was cough up the blood flooding his throat. Cloud held his knife steadily and pushed it deeper into his neck. He stopped after hearing the familiar _crack,_ and Johnny grew still. Cloud gave a swift yank to take out his weapon and slowly stood up. He stepped back and wiped the sweat off his forehead with arm. Johnny was dead.

Tifa was barely standing as leaned back against the bar with her hands grasping the edges. She stared, shock and in denial. His expression held nothing but the face of death. His eyes were hollow as they stared into the emptiness of the ceiling. His mouth hung agape as blood continues to trickle out like a river, emptying into the expanding red pool. Her wine eyes swelled with sadness. She looked like she was fighting back tears.

Cloud looked off the side as he awkwardly put his knife away. He felt no remorse for the man. Hell, he didn't even know the guy. How else was he supposed to feel? Friend or not, he felt the man didn't deserve anything considering that all he wanted to take advantage of Tifa and possibly try to harm her. But from Tifa's point, he could understand. Johnny was probably someone she really cared about.

"I'm sorry…" Cloud said lowly. He didn't know what else to say.

"That…That wasn't Johnny." She shook her head. "He would've never, ever done that. I'm sorry you had to see that…and I'm sorry you had to…"

_Knock Knock Knock…_

"Hello? Is…anyone there? Tifa?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter V**

_Oh great. We've got another psycho at the door…_

Cloud shot Tifa a look before grabbing for his knife. Fenrir started his barking, and Tifa immediately ran over to the door.

"Wait. It's Biggs. It's okay. I know for sure," She assured. Cloud grunted. He found that a little hard to believe after the first guy who came in. What kind of friends are these?

Cloud quieted his loud companion as he still braced himself for whoever was coming through the door. She opened the door to a young man looking wary and uneasy. He held a rusty and worn crowbar in his gloved hands and held it in defense. He was dark haired and had a red bandana wrapped around his forehead. He had on loose, dark green pants and a yellowish stained A-shirt.

"Biggs!" Tifa exclaimed, relieved to see him.

"Tifa! Oh thank the gods you're alive! Oh man…Tifa, you're never gonna believe this. Johnny came over to the inn and started actin' like a complete _dick_…and he –Whoa!" Biggs jumped. Tifa gave him a grave look as Biggs saw the dead man behind her. His dark eyes shifted to the ready warrior next to her, then to the snarling black dog to the other side of her.

"I…uh…Tifa, do you need help?" Biggs asked, unsure if he should do anything.

"Johnny tried to…take advantage of me…and Cloud…" She motioned to the blond haired man. "…helped me out…" She muttered, looking down at her feet.

Biggs blinked.

"He tried to _what_?"

_Gods, enough of this shit…_

"Look, we can all talk about this later. Right now, we should get this guy out of the bar before he bleeds out the rest of his blood," Cloud interrupted. The other two nodded in agreement and stepped back inside to help get the body out. The stench was incredible and almost seemed to stain the air. Biggs practically gaged as he lifted the heavy body. Cloud searched his clothes before lifting him and found only a key, most likely the key to his room, and placed it in his pocket. The three exited the building and headed over towards a crumbled building.

"We'll put his body under the debris that why his body won't attract any unwanted visitors," Cloud informed. Tifa and Biggs nodded and did as Cloud recommended. After the deed was done, they all stood up.

"Do you guys need time to say anything?" The blond asked out of respect.

"No," The woman said flatly. Biggs opened his mouth to say something, but decided to keep it to himself and shook his head. They stood in silence for a moment.

"Maybe something snapped in Johnny…" Biggs thought out loud.

"He was drunk and probably on some kind of drug," Tifa stated as turned away to wipe off her eyes.

"I never knew Johnny was into drugs…or drinking heavily…"

"I don't know. But I want to find out what the hell was wrong with him. This is way too strange."

"I think something else happened to him," Cloud said, looking back at the postal building. "Maybe we can find something back at the bar."

"Something else…? What do you mean?" Tifa asked. She studied the man, trying to find the answers in his strange eyes.

There was definitely something else. He could feel it.

"Here," He handed over Johnny's key. "He had it in his pocket. It was the only thing on him."

She took it and looked back at him. Suddenly, they could hear Fenrir barking back at the bar.

"Let's go."

They headed back to find the German shepherd poking his nose around Johnny's bag. His nose wrinkled in disgust as he growled. His dark eyes looked back up at Cloud, who stared back with a questionable look on his countenance. He knelt down and inspected the bag. The bag smelt absolutely horrible, just like Johnny did only ten times worse. The scent of blood was strong and something was definitely rotting quickly inside.

"Ohhh man, what the hell did Johnny bring back?" Biggs groaned as he covered his face from the stench.

"Open it," Tifa demanded, trying to get over the scent.

Cloud covered his face with his arm and opened the sack. Tifa gasped in dismay.

"Holy hell! Is t-that a freakin' head? Is that someone's freakin' head?" Biggs shouted as he jumped back.

Various fleshy severed body parts sat inside the bag. Feet, hands, arms, legs, and even a head. Some of the arms were already chewed down to the bone. The warrior winced as he reached in to turn the severed head over to see who it was. It was a female. Her eyes were sucked out from their sockets, leaving only dark empty holes. Her mouth was literally twisted in horror as her jaw hung open in a sick, broken way. Her dirty blond hair was smeared with her own putrid blood and tangled around her abused face. Cloud looked away. He couldn't look at any of it anymore. He closed the sack and slowly stood up. He knew.

"He's a cannibal."

"No! He can't be…I've known him long enough to know that he'd never do something like this. I…I don't understand…" Tifa whispered.

"Let's check his room," Cloud said as he started over towards the locked door. Tifa reluctantly followed with Biggs shakily behind her. Her hands trembled as she unlocked the door to Johnny's room with Cloud watching closely next to her. She seemed uncertain and scared to what she might find hidden inside. She grasped the door knob and slowly turned it. He looked at her.

"Have you been in his room before?"

"I…I haven't been in his room for the past several months. Johnny…he wouldn't let me come in," She replied, shaking her head.

"Has he been acting kind of strange during those few months?"

"…Actually, yes. He was. Johnny was always cheerful and had a good heart. But one day he just came back real late from scavenging, all screwed up. Since then he would be angry all the time and leave the bar all the time."

She then pushed the door opened and the three peered in. The room appeared to be relatively normal and plain. There was a single twin sized bed made neatly with old bed sheets. There was a small bookcase in the corner, on the opposite side of the bed filled with old books of different shapes and sizes. Next to it was a dresser about the same size with a few fallen books around it. There were no windows and a similar disgusting odor hung in the air.

"Maybe we should let the dog in first…it seems too…uh…_normal_. I'm just gonna, you know, guard the door," Biggs said. Cloud gave him a look before entering in with Fenrir and Tifa.

"What are we looking for?" The young woman asked as she watched Cloud searching the bookcase and Fenrir snooping around the edges of it.

"You don't just turn cannibalistic when you're well supplied with food," Cloud stated as he opened some of the dresser drawers.

"Isn't there like cannibal cults and stuff? I thought they were just rumors started by travelers but…I guess I can sort of believe them now," Biggs thought out loud.

"Johnny joining a cult? No way…" Tifa muttered as she looked under the bed, finding nothing. Biggs could only shake his head in protest. "He had to be forced into it."

_I guess you didn't know Johnny that well._

_So stop defending him._

His dresser was relatively empty, with nothing but some of his dirty clothes. He then went back over to the bookcase where Fenrir was pawing at the edge of it, like he trying to get to something. The dog whined in frustration as he started to dig. Something was behind it. Cloud pushed Fenrir away as he grabbed the shelf and began to move it. A few books fell as he pushed it outward and found a wide hole in the wall. There were a few remains of body parts, raw bones, and empty syringes. Obviously, this was the source of the emanating scent the in room. On the back of the bookcase was a large, unique circular symbol drawn out in dried blood.

"He was definitely a part of a cult," Cloud confirmed as he stood up. Tifa came over and looked at the new findings. He watched her lightly touched the strange marking and picked up one of the raw bones lying on the ground. Sadness struck her. She let out a heavy sigh. Biggs entered at placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Teef. I think that's enough for today. Let's head to the inn."

Cloud agreed and everyone followed Biggs out of Johnny's bedroom. They gathered their things and the supplies they needed and left, headed off to the inn. They entered into a run-down looking place. The burn stained wallpaper was peeling off and the ancient wooden floors gave a small _creak_ with every step. Trash was cleared out to the sides of the room, slowly decaying. Towards the back was an old staircase that had a few holes in some of the steps. Biggs shuffled through his pockets to get out keys.

"Here," He gave Cloud a key. "Stay for the rest of the day, and take a room for tonight. Second floor on the right."

"Where do you want me to put the key in the morning? I plan to leave pretty early," Cloud asked. He noticed Tifa suddenly looking rather interested. She shot a look at him.

"On the counter is fine…I'm not really worried about people stealing it or anything. Oh and dinner is on the house for the night. Good ol' standard can stuff. For you and the killer hound," Biggs said as he gave him a weak grin. He reached over the counter to grab several cans from the shelf.

Ahh, food. Cloud had completely forgotten how hungry he was. He hadn't eaten anything for the whole day. He looked down at Fenrir, who looked back and gave a tired wag with his bushy tail. Poor, Fenrir. He was probably just as hungry as he was.

Biggs was handing the cans over to Cloud when Tifa took them out of his hands.

"I'll show him to his room," She stated, catching Cloud's glowing eyes. He gave her a blank look, but he didn't dissent.

Biggs shrugged. "Alrighty, but I'm gonna go ahead and chow down. I don't know about you, Tifa, but I'm starving."

"It's alright."

She led both Cloud and Fenrir to their rooms up the shaky steps. They entered in the plain room, and Cloud dropped his backpack and bow down on the floor next to the dirty mattress. He sat down on the edge of it, exhausted from being on his feet all day. Tifa followed and sat next to him as she handed him two cans of peaches. Ravenous, he easily ripped open the tab on the top of the can and began to eat. He tried to refrain himself from eating too fast, but that was a failure. He was about to open his second can for his patient friend, who sat in front of the woman watching him eat, but Tifa had already opened another can and placed it on the floor for Fenrir to eat. The dog ate quickly from the can, causing it to move around the floor a little making a small scratching noise. Cloud waited for the brunette to say something as he opened his second can for himself. He couldn't help but wonder why the woman wanted to come up with him. It was not like he couldn't find the room on his own. The building was only two stories…

"So you're leaving tomorrow?" She finally said.

He frowned. He knew immediately where this was going.

"Yeah," He answered as he finished up his last can.

"Where are you going?"

"North Corel."

"North Corel?" She repeated.

"I'm looking for someone."

"Oh…I heard that place was supposed to be really safe…Maybe I could help you?"

_No. Just say it. Tell her that she can't come._

Cloud put down his can on the floor next to his feet. He sighed. He knew he couldn't take her, and she knew that just as well. She would just be another heavy burden on his shoulders and another person to worry about. The wilderness was dangerous…especially for a woman like her. He didn't have that much gil either to get her food and water when there was nothing to scavenge. He was a loner, a drifter, trying to make it in this world of hell. He also didn't want anything to hinder him from finding the only person left in his family either. The only person he really had left.

"Look," He started. "You're a nice girl and everything and you have helped me a lot so far. I'm very thankful for that but, I think what you've done is enough. Plus, where I'm going is probably gonna be really dangerous, and I'm gambling my life right now. I'm…sorry."

"I see…" She replied.

The blond didn't look at her, but it sounded like she understood and she let the topic drop. It fell into silence again. He sat awkwardly, looking away from the woman. He kind of felt bad for rejecting her offer. Traveling alone wasn't always fun. Talking wasn't really the issue. He enjoyed talking to Fenrir, who almost always responded with silence. He wasn't much of a conversationalist anyways. But he kind of missed the comforting presence of another person just being there.

"Well, I'll let you rest then," Tifa said as she got up towards the door. Before closing the door behind her, she looked back at him with a small smirk on her face.

"Goodnight, Cloud."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter VI**

It was still dark out when Cloud awoke. It was probably about three in the morning. He ate a quick breakfast and made sure he was properly prepared and ready for the long day ahead of him. He wrapped his blankets and strapped them onto his backpack. He cleaned off his bow, arrows, and knife from their bloody scars and finally suited up. He tried to be relatively quiet as he geared up. He was trying his best not to wake up Biggs and especially Tifa. She was the last person he wanted to see before he left. He could still see that small smirk on her face from last night, hiding something roguish.

Cloud took one last look around the room again to make sure he didn't forget anything before turning his attention to his almost invisible friend.

"Alright. I think we're ready to go, Fenrir," He said as he flashed a small grin to him. The dog gave the same response he always did: cocking his head to the side and a look of confusion as the foreign noise of his voice reached his pointy ears.

Cloud stood at the door and slowly turned the knob. He could hear the faint turning of the spindle and the latch bolt moving, to ope the door.

_Creeeeeeeeeeeek..._

_Oh yeah._

_No one heard that…_

Ice, cold sweat drops drifted off from his temples to the curves of his cheeks. He froze as his eyes peered out through the small sliver opening. They darted over towards the stairs and the closed doors, watching for any inch of moment. His ears listened hard for anything, but all he could hear was the faint noise of deep snoring and Fenrir's light panting. The door was barely even open, and there was no way it was going any further without practically deafening someone. He frowned. This place sucked.

After waiting for five minutes, Cloud attempted to move out of the slight opening. He thankfully succeeded with only smaller, shorter noises from the old door. Fenrir easily slinked out with only faint sounds that came from his clicking claws. They headed down the hall and down the steps with quick and light feet, ignoring the quieter clamors groaning from the steps as they went. They made it all the way to the small lobby until…

"Hey!" Tifa whispered. "You're up early."

_Damn…_

There stood the dark haired woman, with her arms folded across her chest. She had her back leaning up against the main exit with a challenging smirk on her visage. She was still dressed in her same outfit along with her gray hooded jacket that was slightly torn from bite marks. She had on a black, jammed backpack strapped with a small blanket on top. A long blade was strapped on the side of her right leg, hidden in its worn leather cover.

"What the hell are you doing..." Cloud growled. His mako eyes glowed with irritation.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"You're not coming with me. I already clarified that last night."

"Gods, what the hell is wrong with you _men_? You know, some woman can put up a fight. We're not all just helpless little dolls."

His jaw tightened. He looked away.

"Look, just give me a chance to show you that I can kick some serious ass. If I can't, I'm screwed right? You won't have to worry about me anymore. I'm still keeping our promise too. Plus, you got your self an extra pair of eyes right?"

_That promise was done._

"Why?"

"Why what?" She asked.

"Why do you have to come with me?"

Her smirk slowly turned upside down.

"Because I don't have anything left…"

That sounded too familiar.

"Johnny was the only friend I've ever had," She said. "I want to go to North Corel and settle up there. And…" Her voice trailed off.

"What?" He quizzed, growing impatient.

"I want to find those people who hurt Johnny," She stated firmly with her eyes churning with determination.

_They were a cult! We're not going after a bunch of fucking cannibalistic crazies!_

"_What_? There is no way in _hell_ I'm gonna go after a bunch of deranged cannibals who have lost touch with all of reality. Have you forgotten that we're only two people with one dog? For all we know, they could have _millions_ of followers and could be well-armed. You're completely insane."

"Well what would you do if someone took away the only friend you knew in this damn place?" She lashed back.

Cloud said nothing. He couldn't say anything. She sighed as she got off the door and looked off in Fenrir's direction.

"…Look, I just want to kill the bastard who got Johnny. That's it."

"This is stupid. You're not coming with me." The man argued.

"Dammit…" Tifa twisted her head in frustration and grew quiet for a moment. "I thought that maybe we could help each other out. We're both looking for someone. We can help each other. And hey, we don't ever have to see each other once we hit North Corel. Besides, I saved you from starving and dehydration for several days. I believe you owe me."

Tifa was really starting to bother him now. He didn't want to delay getting back with his uncle. The whole point was to get to North Corel as fast as he could to be somewhere where he didn't always have to kill someone or scout for food and actually know someone there. And now, she wanted him to get into even more danger? But then again, she could be a useful out traveling and, he guessed, in protection. Or he could kill her…No. He wasn't ruthless like the trash out in the wasteland.

His mind raced. He had no idea what to do.

"What about Biggs? Why don't you go and hunt down cannibals with him?"

Tifa shook her head. "I've already talked to him, and he's got his own plans. Besides, he sucks at fighting."

"Do you even know where the hell these cannibals are at?"

She placed a hand on her hip. "Biggs gave me some information on them. I know where they're relatively located at."

_Great…_

The smile she had on before seemed to find its way back on her face. "So we good?"

Cloud thought for a second. He knew it really didn't matter which option he chose. She would still follow him. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew letting her come along was a going to be a horrible, horrible idea. But, whatever. He had to get over it and just go with it.

"…Fine," He answered.

"Great. Let's move out," She said as left the room and entered the hazardous wilderness.

"I hope you know what you just got yourself into…" Cloud muttered under his breath.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

It didn't take them long for their eyes to adjust to the darkness of the early morning. The silver moon and twinkling stars were out and, thankfully, shining bright enough to give the traveling trio some light. They stuck around the small wooded areas as they walked onward. Like their last travel together, Fenrir was way out in the front, with Tifa leading Cloud.

"So what did Biggs tell you? Where will they be at?" Cloud asked as he scoped the environment around him.

"Well, he told me that they weren't far north from the shop. They're location is also on the way to Cosmo Canyon. He told me we should definitely stop by there before heading over to North Corel," Tifa replied as her gaze started to rest on the night sky.

Cosmo Canyon. He had heard about such a place when he was little. He remembered his uncle talking about how the place was a pilgrimage for anyone wanting to pursue the study of Planet life and the outer world beyond and that there was an ancient wise man there with impeccable knowledge. He was a man so old that he's claimed to have seen The Planet's civilized and true nature. And, that there was a tribe of warriors that protected the village. He remember believing that story and wanting to take the pilgrimage himself and become a scholar. He chuckled at the thought of how naïve he was. Such silly stories they were.

_Now look at what I've become._

"Biggs told me that it's a safe place. He said he went there when he was a traveling with a merchant business. He's says there's an old man, who could maybe help us out." She said.

Cloud took out his crumbly map just to see how far it was.

_Pretty damn far up. _

_It might take us several days to get there on foot. That is, if we survive the hungry, human flesh eater gang._

_Let's hope those stories of Cosmo were true._

"Hey…" She said. She slightly leaned her head over towards him as she walked on.

"Mmm?" The man hummed as he put his map away.

"Sorry."

"For what?"

"For trying to kill you…and for acting like a bitch."

"Oh…"

"I didn't trust you. But now, I think I can."

_You don't even know me…_

"We have to trust each other if we're gonna survive."

Cloud was quiet. Trust was hard.

Tifa turned around to approach the soundless man. Her grave eyes bored into his. They were tense, but for a brief second, he could have sworn he saw a flicker of something soft and hidden.

"Do you trust me?" She asked.

He held her strong gaze. He gave her an uncertain look as he studied her, like he was still trying to find more answers about her. But suddenly, he found himself no longer looking into her eyes. Instead, he was examining the beauty of the woman's porcelain visage. They curved around her cheeks and around her lips to her the bones structure of her jaw. Her curse was working on him again. He took a step back and broke away from her. His mouth opened to speak–

Grrrrrr…rrrrrr…

Almost instantly, their attention broke away from each other and their emotions heightened to an alert state.

"Fenrir found something," Cloud murmured. "Come on."

The two ran up together until they found the black dog. He was somewhat hidden between some dying shrubs and a small, gray tree. Close to the roads in front of them was an enormous, vintage styled home. It was two-stories with all of its shutters boarded up and nailed shut. The wooden front porch looked elegant and had incredible wood work, but oddly, there were scratch marks and splatters of some kind of dark color. It had almost an eerie feeling to it, beneath its sophistication. Off behind the grand abode were other homes, with only their wooden frameworks standing. They were probably somewhere in what used to be a neighborhood.

"Is this…?" Cloud asked as he looked at the brunette.

"I think it is," Tifa replied as she reached for her knife.

Cloud sighed as he pulled out his hunting bow. "Alright. Let's make this quick."

The trio quickly made their way across the broken road over towards the home. They checked around to make sure that no one was around and eventually made it up the steps to the home. At their feet was the same blood sign they found in Johnny's room. The air smelled just like Johnny's room, full of something rotten and death.

"Jackpot," Tifa muttered as she went over to the door. To both of their surprise, the door was unlocked and opened easily without a single sound. Tifa took a deep breath, and entered. They were immediately greeted with a winding staircase that flowed to the upper floors of the home. A moldy, fake diamond chandelier hung above them, looking it like was about to fall at any moment. The walls were covered with peeling, lace styled wallpaper with a few wood chips and holes. Pictures barely hung on the damaged walls, all skewed and faded. The floors were all wooden, making their footsteps and claws echo throughout the quiet rooms. The few rooms on the ground floor were all shut tightly and locked.

"I don't think anyone is here," Tifa mumbled to the man as she gently tried to open another locked door.

"Let's check the kitchen," He whispered back.

They wondered over to the kitchen to find it fairly neat, except the horrible scent grew suddenly overwhelming. The man's face twisted with disgust as he tried to adapt to the smell. Tifa covered hers with her arm as she snooped around, finding nothing in all the cabinets and drawers. Fenrir brushed by him with his leathery nose stuck on the ground, sniffing around the kitchen floor, particular within the center of the room.

"No one's here," Cloud finally whispered.

"_Hmmmrrrm!"_

"There has to be someone here...let's check–"

"Shhhh!" Cloud hushed and everyone was still.

"_Mmmurphhhh!"_

The sound was muffled and ever so faint. It was so quiet that they could barely hear it. It didn't sound like it came from the kitchen or the other rooms on the ground floor. It didn't sound like it came from the upstairs either. Both the man and woman exchanged glances with each other.

"Someone _is_ here…" Cloud whispered as he looked down at the floors of the kitchen. "…underneath us."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter VII**

"Beneath us?" Tifa asked as she followed Cloud's gaze to the wooden, dusty floors.

Cloud knelt down on the floor to take a closer look at it. His eyes traced the parallel lines of the floors until they stopped in the center of the floor where Fenrir initially was snooping around. His gloved hand ran over the center floor and swept away some of the dust. Several intersecting lines started to appear. He wiped away more of the dust to find a large square on the floor. A hidden entrance.

_Bingo._

He took out his knife from his side and jammed the tip into the crease in attempt to pop open the board. With a quick jerk of his wrist, the wooden square opened. He removed the cover and was welcomed with the source of the sickly stench tainting the air. His head immediately jerked back in reaction, and his nose wrinkled. He'd never smelt anything so wretchedly potent in his entire life. It was nastier than Johnny's bag. He felt extra bad for Fenrir. He forced himself to look down and found a metal latter that led into the darkness of a concrete floor. He looked over at Tifa, who was holding her nose and waving her hand around, like somehow that was going to make the smell leave.

"You go on ahead first," She muttered.

He cursed to himself and lowered his body down. It was completely dark with the exception of the small light pouring from the entrance. His hand naturally went to the walls to try and find a light switch to flip on for light. Fenrir gracefully leaped down the entrance as Tifa followed down the latter and covered the entrance back up, but made sure there was a slight crack open for them to easily escape.

"It's so dark in here…" Tifa murmured as she attempted to find Cloud in blindness.

"I'm looking for the light switch, hold on a minute. I can feel an electrical generator on the floor."

"Where…are you?"

"Just stay at the latter, I think–" Suddenly something bummed into his shoulder.

"Whoops…sorry," Tifa quietly muttered as she grasped his arm for balance. Out of instinct, he reached out to help her.

"It's okay…I think this is the light switch," Cloud said lowly as his fingers flipped a switch on. Thankfully, it was. He looked around to find a grimy and bloody wine cellar. There were large wooden barrels on the sides covered with cobwebs and discolored like they haven't been used in years. Between two of the barrels was a manmade hallway that lead further into the cellar of demise. The walls were built out of stone that were crumbling and molding and covered with splatters of new and old blood. A few cages sat in a corner occupied with small, decomposing skeletons and torn rags all painted with the familiar red color. There were stained saws, machetes, axes, and other cutting tools in the other corner. In the center of the room was a large, bloody oak table that was scarred with plenty of cuts and scratches. You couldn't find anything in the cellar without the color of blood. Even the single light bulb that hung down in the center of the table was blood stained.

"My gosh…" Tifa uttered out as she saw everything. "It's like a damn slaughter house…"

_Mmmhrrrmmm…_

The two froze as they still held on to each other's arms. It was that sound again. It sounded like a low moan, emitting from the dark hallway, distraught and weak. Fenrir's throat rumbled a soft growl as he prowled over towards it. The blond released his grip from the woman, loaded up his bow, and trailed his canine.

"Stay behind me and get ready," Cloud said in such a low tone that Tifa could barely hear him.

He swiftly made his way behind the wine barrels and into the dark hallway to find four large prison cells. Two were on each side with the gates of the last two cells opened. His eyes stared horrifyingly at one of the first two cells. It contained several fresh limbs and internal organs of various people. The limbs were organized by their parts as well as the organs. The scalped heads were stacked in the front of the cell, staring lifelessly out at the perturbed man, with their empty eye sockets. Some stared back with distorted faces, some without jaws, and some with half of their flesh peeling off their skull and face. Everything was so graphic that it sent shivers down his spine. There was definitely not going to be any sleep tonight.

He then turned his attention to the other cell next to him. Inside were two women, one of them lying on a dirty mattress in the corner with both a legs missing from her barely clothed body. She was dead, seeing that she had lost massive amounts of blood from the severance of her legs. Her arm hung limply off the edge of the bed while her head rested on its side with her jaw hanging open on her shoulder. The other woman was lying on her side on top of a makeshift bed much closer to the gate. She was dressed in a light brown leather armor with her sleeves rolled up, showing needle scarring around the veins in her arm. Both her wrists were tightly tied together as well as her ankles with rope that dug in her skin. She had a shaved head, and her eyes drooped as they struggled to find Cloud's figure. Her mouth was stuffed with a red bandana making her unable to speak.

"Mmmmrrr…" She groaned.

Cloud quickly opened the door to the unlocked cell and kneeled down next to her with Fenrir at his side. He placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her lightly as he looked at her tear streaked face.

"Hey…" He whispered. "Are you alright?"

She said nothing.

"I'm gonna try to help you, okay?"

He moved his hand to take out the cloth in her mouth when suddenly he heard a noise from up above. Movement…footsteps…two voices…male voices. Cloud withdrew from the woman and grabbed Fenrir by his hackles. He grew still and continued to listen.

_Thunk, Thunk, Thunk…Tap, Tap…_

"_Someone came back to the house."_

"_No one should be back. The others are still at the site picking up the drugs."_

"_Well…maybe someone came back early or something."_

"…_I have strict orders._ No one _disobeys their leader."_

"_Uh…m-maybe…maybe Johnny came back? I mean, he wasn't here last night. And he did say he was bringing back some fresh meat for us."_

"_No one is supposed to have access to the chamber unless I grant them permission…even John knows that. I raised that pathetic piece of crap myself. "_

_Johnny…_

…_Oh shit…_

_TIFA!_

A feeling of anxiety swept over him as he looked behind him. Tifa wasn't there. He quickly peeked out for Tifa outside of the cell, but he couldn't see her anywhere. Was she in one of the cells in the back? Was she still in the execution room? Was she still even here? Where the hell was she?

"Tifa…!" He hissed out.

No answer.

_Where the hell is she?_

The blond quietly moved his body towards the back of the cell with his dog, since there was nothing else he could do at this point. But as he moved, Fenrir began to growl loudly, sensing the tension and uneasiness from his owner. Instantaneously, Cloud yanked at the dog to shut him up.

_Thunk, Thunk…Tap…_

Silence.

"_Did you hear something?"_

"_Shhhhhh…inside the cellar. Move."_

_Gah, fuck._

"Stay," He growled at his companion and loaded up his bow. His pulse was so loud in his ears that he could barely hear the two males descend to the wine cellar. He could feel Fenrir's muscle twitch and shake as he went into his predatory mode. His throat ached as he held back a fierce growl. They waited for something, anything to happen…but there was nothing but a strange silence that hung in the air.

"…I can smell you," Came a rough voice. "You're alive and fresh…"

"Those are the best!" A slimy voice said.

"Shut up," The rough voice snapped back.

He could hear their footsteps inch closer towards the prison cells. He still couldn't see them.

"I know where you are…we don't leave the prisoner gates wide open…"

_Shit._

"Maybe you'd like to have dinner with us tonight…"

_Breathe…_

_Load._

"Werner, you know what to do." The rough voice said.

_Aim._

"You got it, Marcus." Werner was quick on his feet as he bolted over to the inside of the cell. But Cloud and Fenrir were much faster.

_Fire._

The moment the man stepped inside the prison cell, three arrows already punctured his skin as Fenrir took a large bite out of the man's hand. One arrow was close to the throat while the other two landed around his heart. He let out a bloodshot scream as he stumbled out of the cell and dropped his machete. Life immediately left him as soon as he fell to the floor. As Cloud exited the prison cell, Marcus was already towering over him just seconds away from cutting his head off with his machete.

"You're gonna die you little fuck!" He roared as he brought the weapon to a full on swing. As Cloud moved to duck the blow, a fist slammed across Marcus's mucky visage. He groaned out a small _Oomph! _and was sent across the room, slamming into the small cages in the corner.

Tifa.

She stormed after him with raging fire in her eyes. Marcus managed to get up and sent a punch of his own, but she easily dodged it and countered with a side kick that sent him to the ground. Then, she took her sharp blade and drove it into his left quad to make sure he wouldn't go anywhere. He released an agonizing scream as he reached for the knife to pull it out. But Tifa gave no mercy. She rammed her heel into his face then steadied her foot on his chest. She grabbed one of the axes close by. Hatred filled his eyes as he gazed upon the avenging woman.

"What is this?" Marcus spat out. "I've done nothing to you."

Her dark eyes narrowed as she dug her heel deeper into his chest, like she was trying to crush it. She let the axe hover above his neck, ready to take his ugly head off his neck.

"Shut the fuck up! You're gonna die for what you did to Johnny and all of these people…you sick son of a bitch." The woman growled.

"Johnny? Ha! HA! HA! HA! That little pile of sod. He had such a closed mind…and knew nothing! I forced him in, and I freed him. I freed him from starvation, worry, and from reality. I could have eaten his worthless limbs and puny brain, but I didn't. I gave him a chance to live to show this damned world the satisfaction of cannibalism. You ignorant fool…you don't know us. You don't understand us or our rituals…hahaha…" He laughed.

"You fucking destroyed him! You fucking jumped him and destroyed his mind…you fucking bastard…you're destroying people's lives!" Tifa hissed.

"I don't regret what I've done, you whore! HAHAHA–"

_Slllick!_

The deed was done. His head rolled off to the side as Tifa stood up. A long streak of red blood saturated her coat as well as across her stunning countenance. The red was bright against her porcelain skin as it mixed with the salty sweat dripping from her temples. Strands of her silky, dark brown hair and sideswept bangs stuck to her forehead and around her cheeks. She breathed loudly as she stared down at the dead body. She watched as the veins in the neck spewed out the thick liquid into the growing pool. After a few moments, she finally threw down her axe and spoke.

"I think…I think Johnny can rest in peace now…" She said breathlessly, refusing to look at Cloud.

The blond cleared his throat. "You, uh…alright?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Good," Cloud said as he took out his arrows from the dead body next to him. "We need to get someone out of the cell. She's still alive."

She nodded and got her knife before following him. He went back to the motionless woman on the ground and pulled out the cloth in her mouth. She groaned again and tried to speak to them, but her words came out in slurs and mumbles. He then cut the ropes around her wrists and ankles off. He sat her up, and he shook her lightly.

"Hey…"

The woman slumped over and her head hung to the side. She could only respond with the same groan.

"I think she's too drugged out," Tifa said. "Let's get her out of here."

Cloud grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder and slowly stood up. He followed Tifa and Fenrir over to the latter, and they all managed to get out safely with the woman. They placed her on the kitchen floor as she was slowly coming back.

"What are we gonna do with her?" Tifa asked, leaving her gaze on the woman.

Cloud shrugged. "I don't know, but she can't stay here."

"_Inside! Everybody get inside! Go, go!"_

_Not again…_

Cloud looked at Tifa, who looked back with the same expression of attentiveness on her face. Fenrir's fur spiked as he snarled brutishly and started to bark. There were loud footsteps coming to the house, and it sounded like they were armed and dangerous.

_CRASH!_

The door was crushed down.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter VIII**

The once empty kitchen was suddenly filled with an army of about fifteen gruff, tough people. They were all dressed in the same brown leather armor with red bandanas tied around their heads, just like the woman from the prison cell. They were mostly men with a few women in the group in smearing black and white war paint across their wrathful faces. They were all well equipped with weapons such as sledgehammers, nail boards, machetes, and some even with handmade bow and arrows. They formed a small circle around them with their arrows loaded and aimed right between in their eyes. As they all settled into stillness, a large, built man shoved his way through the crowd to the front. He stood probably over six feet tall as he towered over them and pointed the barrel of a combat shotgun inches away from Cloud's visage. He was in the same armor but covered in more elaborate paint from his chest up. His face was partially masked by a hard, dirty leather helmet. It was made in the shape of a crow's skull with large spikes running down the center of the cranium. His dark eyes fell on the mako-eyed man.

Cloud was still knelt down next to Tifa and the unknown woman as he held on to Fenrir's neck. He was snarling so loudly and savagely, that saliva began to run down his maw as he flashed his sharp teeth. Cloud remained still as he daringly stared back at the masked brute standing over him. His ocean eyes narrowed, valiant and dauntless. The air was high with tension as they stared off each other.

_You don't scare me._

"Your eyes…" His raspy vocals rumbled. "They glow with the mark."

He could feel Tifa's gaze suddenly fall on him. He said nothing in return.

"They're ShinRa cannibals. They took Jonah for their meal! We should kill them!" A woman hissed somewhere from the crowd.

"Are you kidding me?" Tifa defended. "We just saved her!"

The masked man quickly moved his aim to Tifa. Cloud instantly grabbed and squeezed her arm to shut her up as he continued to watch the man. His grip also tightened on Fenrir, who tried to lung forward.

The tall man swept his eyes over the black dog and Tifa, before returning the Cloud.

"You show no fear…just like a SOLDIER."

Cloud's jaw tightened. He remembered hearing that like that somewhere. Yes, back when he was a child…when his mother was still alive. He remembered. He would always remember. He hated that word.

Suddenly, a small voice croaked out. It broke the painted man and Cloud from their deathly glares to the woman named Jonah. Her hazy eyes fell over the group before her.

"He…lp…help…" She muttered as she grasped Tifa's hand.

"Just hold on…" The brunette replied as she lightly squeezed the woman's hand.

All was quiet as the bulky man lowered his shotgun and turned it to place it in both of his hands. His head slightly turned over his shoulder as his head motioned over towards Cloud.

"Take them."

After the man applied the command, the next thing Cloud knew, he was being tackled against the floor by two men. Fenrir and Tifa were out of his grasp and a chaos of barking and yelling rang in his ears. He was quickly stripped of his backpack and all the weapons he had on him as they flipped him on his stomach. He struggled against the floor as he felt hands grab his spikey yellow hair and ram the side of his face into the floor. He could feel the crushing weight of one of the men behind him holding him still as strong hands swiftly worked rope around his wrists. Eventually, his body relaxed realizing there was nothing he could do. Three against fifteen just wasn't going to cut it.

_We could either die in an impossible battle or live to see another day._

He could hear Tifa being handled as she tried to fight back. He heard her grunt and yell until he finally heard the familiar _smack!_ on the wooden floor. He could feel some sort of strange rage suddenly swell in his chest as he blindly heard the sickening noise next to him.

"We were trying to help her!" He could hear her muffled plea.

Cloud was about to turn his head to see who in hell kept ramming her face into the ground, until he saw Fenrir being handled in front of him. The animal had to have five people on him in order to sustain him. A man and a woman were holding his head down to tie his snapping muzzle shut while two other men held down his body and legs as another woman tied his two front paws then his two back paws together. In attempt to try to settle him down, they placed a choking chain on him and pulled. Cloud watched in anger as Fenrir's movements grew sluggish from the choking. Thankfully, they released their choking grip after they finished and got off of him. He looked exhausted as his dark eyes met with Cloud's deep blue ones, just for a brief second. Then, one of the men picked him up and hauled Fenrir over his shoulder, like he was some kind of wild hog they just caught, and carried him away until he was out of site. The next thing Cloud saw were a pair of dirty boots standing next to him.

"Get the two up and make sure they have a chocobo to ride on," He heard the rough voice of the masked man. "Put the dog with their supplies. I will take Jonah."

"What about the house, Jarek?" A woman's voice came.

"Burn it."

Cloud waited as he heard boots scuffling and voices rambling. He heard Tifa being picked up first and moved out of the room. Then, two pairs of large hands grabbed his shoulders and forcefully lifted him off the ground. He got on his feet and was practically dragged off by two men, one with dark orange hair in a Mohawk cut and the other with half his long black hair shaved off. They brought him outside where he found the tribal warriors mounting on their yellow chocobos, including the one they called Jarek with Jonah. All the birds' faces were covered with headgear and equipped with harnesses. Some even had the group's black and white war paint designed on their bodies and headgear. The two men holding Cloud pushed him over to a lowered chocobo, where Tifa was already on and awaiting him. The men shoved him in front of her and held onto him until the giant bird stood on its powerful legs. It lowered its head as the man with the orange Mohawk tied some rope around its neck and connected the remaining rope to his chocobo. Cloud watched some of the woman strap their bags and weapons on another chocobo just next to them. After making sure everything was on tightly, they dumped his irascible dog on top.

"They're taking us to the canyon," Tifa mumbled behind his shoulder. "Maybe we can find Bigg's friend to help us out."

_Great._

_More people to find…_

"Or maybe someone might know your uncle?" She whispered.

_Maybe…_

"Is everyone out?" Jarek's thunderous voice boomed as he steadied his squawking yellow bird.

"Everyone is out," A woman replied on the ground with two other females holding lit torches. "There are no other prisoners."

He nodded. "Torch it."

Everyone turned and watched as the three women swiftly did their work before riding off on their birds. The house was fully consumed by flames in a matter of seconds. The flames rose higher and higher as it ate away at the old, rotten wood. Heat and colors of orange and red danced across their glistening faces and watchful eyes. The sky grew dark as smoke polluted its faded blue hue.

The blond watched with a heavy heart and darkened eyes. The flames reminded him too much of the past.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The night was hastily creeping up on the traveling band of warriors as they rode on. The sun was quickly sinking into its slumber as eager stars already started to twinkle in the sky. The wasteland was getting rockier and a little greener. Weeds mostly covered the gray dirt ground and hardly any trees were in site. Cloud and Tifa's chocobo followed just behind Jarek's with two other men riding on both of their flanks.

"Oh man…" Tifa muttered.

"What?" Cloud asked in a low voice. He looked over his shoulder. "You alright?"

"These ropes are killing my wrists…" She started, but then she paused. He could hear a smile form on her lips.

"Getting worried about me, huh?"

His blue eyes narrowed, and he immediately looked away.

_Worried?_

_About_ you?

He thanked the gods that he sat in front of her because he could feel a strange warm sensation in his cheeks and chest.

_Okay…_

_So maybe I was…a little bit._

"I was just _asking_," He said, half flustered.

"Hey, it's okay to have feelings, mister hardcore badass," She joked with her grin still in place.

_I knew I should have begged to be strapped with the luggage…_

He let out an aggravated sigh. There was no way he was going make it to Corel anytime soon. Hell, he didn't even know if he was ever going to see tomorrow.

"Okay, I'm sorry, geez," She mumbled over his broad shoulder. He could feel her brown eyes gazing on his blue ones.

"We're gonna get to North Corel and you're gonna see your uncle. Don't worry. You've helped me so much, so I'm gonna return the favor. I'll do whatever I can to help you."

He turned his head slightly to her but didn't return her gaze. It was odd how her soft words seemed to reassure him and actually make him feel sort of…better or calm or something. He didn't quite know what to call the feeling, but it felt good. He suddenly didn't mind being with her and was grateful that she was still faithful to her promise. He just couldn't believe how much he was starting to _like_ the brunette. Or maybe it was just a long day that was making him feel different…or the weirdo warrior clan from some killer canyon.

_Yeah._

_That's HAS to be it._

"…Okay," He responded. "Thanks."

He could hear her smile again. She then leaned into his back, snuggling her face just at his right shoulder.

"Wake me up when we get there, 'kay?" She said. Her small voice muffled against his olive green coat.

The man let out a tired sigh. "…Yeah."

Sleep sounded really good.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

He was half asleep when the tribe arrived at Cosmo Canyon. His head was half leaning against the top of Tifa's head and half jerking around from the awkward movements of the chocobo they were riding on. He forced his head up and blinked his eyes to get a good look at the canyon. It was lit up by burning torches and had a cultivating village built into it. Light emitted from the square windows of the various homes within the village, some with curious people peering out. A small marketplace occupied the ground and looked closed for the night. In the middle was a large bonfire on a raised piece of the canyon floor, vacant. On the very top of the canyon was what looked like a great observatory, which seemed to light up the indigo night sky. It was actually a very unique. Cloud had never seen such a place before.

Cloud nudged Tifa lightly.

"Tifa…" He said softly.

"Mmmm?"

"We're here."

They entered the canyon and were dismounted from their chocobo when they reached the bonfire. The tribe gathered around them as two men held them.

"Hold them," Jarek said as he held a sleeping Jonah in his massive arms. She definitely looked a lot better. "The elder will determine their fate."

_The elder?_

_Could it be the wise old man?_

No one said anything when Jarek left, and it seemed like years passed when he came back with the elder.

"…So they saved Jonah, eh? A man has the mark? Ho ho hooo!–Ack! Come on! Out of the damn way! Geez!"

A little, old man shoved through the crowd with a long, dark wooden staff that had beautiful swirl designs carved into it. Attached in the staff on the top was a large glowing green orb. The old man had white bushy eyebrows and a long white mustache. He was mainly bald but had some white hair that was pulled back and tied. His eyes were concealed by small, circular shaded spectacles. He wore a dark blue kimono that covered over his tiny feet. His light skin wrinkled around his toothy grin.

"Welcome to the Valley of the Fallen Star, Mister Strife."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter IX**

Cloud shook his head. "Do I know you?"

The old man coughed out a laugh. "Hehe…well, probably not. But I do know a lot about you."

A blond brow lifted as Cloud gazed at the elder with a questionable look. He watched the old man draw closer until he stuck his face in front of his. His white brows furrowed as he closely examined Cloud's glowing eyes and face. After about another minute or so, he backed off and nodded away to himself. Cloud glanced over at Tifa, who looked just as confused as he was.

_There's no way this guy knows me…_

"So! How about we talk somewhere a bit more comfortable, hm?" The elder asked as he flashed another smile. It quickly dissipated when he saw that they're arms were tied. "Oh, your wrists! My apologies…ahem…Gods! Will someone get those damn things off of them?"

Two members of the tribe quickly scrambled over and severed off the ropes. Cloud rubbed his loose wrists, trying to get the blood flow again.

_Finally._

The old man cleared his throat. "I'm happy to say that you won't be held as prisoners or killed. And don't worry about your things either…everything will be taken care of and brought back to you. Oh, and you both will be the village's special guests for the night and will be treated well. I promise you."

The elder motioned to them with his staff. "So, shall we?"

"I want my dog, first," Cloud demanded as he folded his toned arms across his chest.

The old man blinked. "Oh…well yes, of course." He looked over at the exasperating beast, who was growling loudly and viciously again. "Hehehe…I'm afraid you will have to cut the ropes on him though. I don't want any of the Gi Tribe getting their arms torn off."

Cloud gladly strode over to the poor dog and took him off the chocobo that was carrying him and their bags. He easily cut off the ropes with his knife he received back and freed Fenrir. The black dog shook out his thick fur with the choke chain jingling around his neck. His amber eyes looked around, weary and tired. He growled as he stood next to his owner, like he was ready to defend him no matter what. So the blond knelt down to reassure him. Cloud gave him a small grin as he lightly patted the German shepherd's side.

"It's alright, boy. They're not gonna hurt us. It's alright…" He said as he gave a quick pat on his head and stood up.

The little old man cleared his throat. "Okay! Now, if there's nothing else, off to the observatory!" He turned around on his heels, facing the tribe and Jarek. "Jarek, make sure their things are safely stored away for the night and that they have a place to sleep."

"Yes, elder."

"Good," The elder nodded and turned his bald head over his shoulder. "I hope you like stairs!"

After pushing past the working group, the three took several flights of rocky steps up the old man's observatory on top of the canyon. The observatory had two floors and wasn't as large as Cloud had expected. They stayed on the ground floor which had all of his basic needs of living. Tifa was trekking slowly around the room until she came upon the photographs on the walls and found herself intrigued by them. Fenrir lingered closely around her as he sniffed around. Cloud stood awkwardly next to a green couch as his eyes watched the white haired man pour himself some freshly made tea. As he finished he hovered over to them, holding a serene look on his mature face.

"These photos…they're beautiful…"Tifa complimented. "I've never seen such places."

"Ahhh….those are the pictures I took of the world many, many years ago, miss…?" He asked as his small body sat down on a couch opposite of Cloud and Tifa.

"Tifa, Tifa Lockhart." She smiled.

"Who are you?" Cloud rudely interrupted.

"Ho ho hoo, my apologies again, dear sir! I'm Bugenhagen, elder of Cosmo Canyon." He replied as he set his tea down on the circular coffee table before him.

Cloud sat down. "And how do you know me?"

"Well, by your Uncle Reeve, of course!"

"My uncle? He came here?"

"Ahhh yes, yes. Many times, actually. I thought for sure your uncle would have told you about me…"

Cloud shook his head. "He wasn't always exactly there all the time."

"That's probably true. He's always a busy man."

"But…why?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why did he come here?" He asked as Tifa sat down next to him, who was starting to get very interested in the conversation.

"Mmm…" Bugenhagen's bushy brows pinched together in confusion. "He really didn't tell you much, eh? Well, let me start from the beginning."

Cloud waited as the old man leaned his staff against the couch and settled in.

"Your uncle was a great man. Ever since I met him, I knew he was different. He liked helping others out, like he did for you and your mother. But even before he helped your family out, he was a part of an organization called AVALANCHE. He was a very active and valuable member, bringing in wonderful ideas to help out both the people and the Planet from its suffering and regain back the world." Bugenhagen lifted a hand and pointed at the pictures Tifa was looking at.

"Those are photographs of what the world's true beauty is. Everything that you've seen in your life has been the result of the a great war that happened a long time ago between the ShinRa Electric Power Company and AVALANCHE…hell, the whole world was in war.

"ShinRa was a thriving company that eventually dominated all electric power companies, becoming the biggest monopoly ever. They were so large and successful, that they expanded their company into space exploration and…genetic engineering. And once they established their own military force, no one wanted to beef with them. So since they were the only source of power to everyone, they got their hands on a large amount of control over the world." He shook his head. "But the energy they were supplying the world was something called Mako. They used it in everything…including their military and genetic research. They would infuse it into their strongest men and inject them with engineered cells that made gave them supernatural abilities…and sometimes turned them into monsters. The company was so power-hungry that little did they know they were actually killing the Planet and their people."

He sighed. "Mako is an energy source that is a part of our planet. It's a Lifestream, or a sprit energy that contains the essence of the Planet. It is full of memories, emotions, thoughts, and knowledge of all the people who have once lived on it…you could almost say, like an afterlife for their spirits. It's the energy that runs the Planet itself. It's what some believe brings new life to the world…but ShinRa…they were taking that away from the Planet and the people.

"That was when AVALANCHE was born by a great scholar. They had firm beliefs that ShinRa's actions were killing the Planet and that if they continued to drain the Mako energy from the planet, it would destroy the world. They believed that the Planet was physically and spiritually dying before their very eyes. And, they believed that the only way to stop the ShinRa Electric Power Company was by force and that the world should push for other alternatives for energy. The once small terrorist group quickly grew as they got the word out. Millions of people were joining from all around the world. They eventually grew large enough to build their own military and research team. Some towns and cities were even taking down the Mako reactors and used alternatives like coal, sunlight, and other sources. This obviously deeply angered ShinRa when huge chunks of their sales were falling at dramatic rates. After a successful attack by AVANALCHE on a reactor at the world capital and headquarters, Midar, President ShinRa called for war."

Bugenhagen frowned slightly. "War with AVALANCHE and the world. The Mako War. ShinRa was well prepared. They had enormous bombs and weapons infused with Mako and nuclear energy along with their genetically modified SOLDIERs fighting. They practically bombed every single area and town on the Planet, causing massive explosions all across the world since AVALANCHE had members almost everywhere. AVALANCHE fought back hard, but were not nearly as well armed as ShinRa…but, however…as AVALANCHE barely managed to finish taking out most of ShinRa headquarters…the Planet…the Planet began to fight back. Suddenly, out of the waters and grounds came these colossus metallic creatures with glittering Mako eyes. They attacked everyone…all the forces everywhere from both the company and AVALANCHE. These beasts stopped at nothing as they attacked. The next thing the two brawling forces knew, they were fighting _with_ each other, trying to stop all seven of these…weapons the Planet had summoned. It was incredibly insane." He said in amazement.

"It wasn't until all of Gaia was silent when the weapons ceased. There were no more bombs, gunfire, screams…nothing when they left. Millions of people were dead, but not all were. Obviously a number of people still lived as well as many from both AVALANCHE and ShinRa. But without headquarters, most of ShinRa was done. Many of them left the company and settled down. Others…other became raiders. I've even heard some of the top company men survived and opened up a powerful slave business. AVALANCHE was different, thankfully. Those who survived rebuilt the organization. It was not as large has it used to be, but it was only just the beginning." Bugenhagen stated as he shifted a little in his seat.

"Many, many years later, your Uncle Reeve was born. He was born to a good family, who raised a fine young man and two beautiful women. Reeve heard about the group when he was still quite young, probably around your age. I believe he was taking care of your mother and the family at the time and thought that he could further help them by joining AVALANCHE. By this time, the organization was much bigger and had regained their army and research team. They were working on projects on helping out the people out in the wasteland and rebuilding towns and cities, powering them with an alternate source, of course. So he left the family for some time. And that's when your mother found…your father."

Cloud looked away from the old man and stared down at his feet.

_My father…_

He never knew the man.

"Reeve told me a little bit about him. The man was an ex-SOLDER who ended up joining AVALANCHE with Reeve. He was a good man, despite his dark past with ShinRa. He loved your mother very much and was always there for her, especially when she had you, Cloud. But, one day…AVALANCHE needed him for a risky combat mission. He left home…and unfortunately…" Bugenhagen trailed off.

"He didn't make it back. I know," Cloud confirmed with a nod.

"Yes…anywho, back to your uncle. He came here for study and research for AVALANCHE. He stopped here before heading over to the base, North Corel, a several years ago. It's quite a safe place. He's been doing some great things and has already helped a lot of people up north and is working his way to help out the south. But when he was here, he talked about you a lot. Hehehe…yeah he said you were just like your father. You two even have the same mark in the eyes…"

_Mako…_

Cloud remembered. He remembered how sick he got…he practically almost died.

"Well, I hope you understand a little about everything now. And why some people are a bit…eh…cautious when they see the Mako mark. Reminds them too much of SOLDIER…of the monstrous past."

"Yes, but Cloud is not definitely _not_ one of those monsters. He's a brave man with a good heart," Tifa defended. "People shouldn't just automatically judge him or anyone just by some mark in the eyes. It's by their actions and beliefs."

The young man fixed his brilliant eyes on her with wonder. She didn't look back though, and she kept her dark eyes on the elder in front of her.

"I totally agree with you, Miss Lockhart, but some people have a hard time grasping that." The old man answered.

Tifa's eyes soon drifted to the photos again. "But…the war…when was all of this?" She asked.

"Ho ho hoo…ohhhh…I think it's been…what…about 150 years ago?"

The porcelain beauty blinked. "Oh…but those pictures…I thought–you said _you_ took them?"

"Hehehehe…yes," He said as he played a wrinkly grin.

"I…I guess I don't…"

"Ohhh, dear child, age is just a number to me." He laughed. "Ahh…well, I think that will be all for the night. I don't think I can stand the stench of you two anymore."

Cloud looked at Bugenhagen, a little taken back from his statement.

"Hehe…ehhh…it's nothing personal. How about you two…uh, three…go get some grub, wash up, and get some sleep. I can imagine it's been _quite_ a long day."

The two nodded in agreement and stood up and followed Bugenhagen to the door.

"I hope you three don't mind camping out at the bonfire. Our inn is currently booked. Sorry about that. But someone will be there at the fire to help you guys out." He said as he opened the door.

"Its fine, and thank you so much for everything," Tifa replied and exited with Fenrir trotting by her side.

Cloud turned to the elder before leaving. "…Thanks for the info. We're gonna be heading out tomorrow for North Corel."

"I understand. You'll definitely be safe there. AVLANCHE opens up their arms to anyone in need of help. And I'm sure your uncle will be very happy to see you."

"Yeah…he's the only family that I have left."

"I must warn you, though. Even though a lot of the towns are thriving up north, there's a lot more trouble up there than in the south. The journey won't be easy, but I have faith in you. Reeve has faith in you. Tifa has faith in you."

The blond shot a curious look.

Bugenhagen smiled. "She has _a lot_ of faith in you, Mister Strife, and has a lot of…um…_feelings_ about you. She's quite a lovely woman," He coughed. "I must say, but tough and firm in her beliefs. I would definitely keep her around, if I were you."

"Uh, yeah…" Cloud muttered, feeling a bit flushed.

"Alrighty now, come on! Get the hell out! Geez, the old man needs some damn sleep!" He burst, and Cloud quickly stumbled out.

The elder chuckled to himself. "Oh, that boy is just about as blind as a bat…"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter X**

Tifa and Fenrir were long gone when he reached the bonfire. He was greeted by an aged lady, who was laying out blankets and pillows for them to sleep on for the night. His glowing, blue eyes met with her cheerful hazel ones.

"Ohhh! Hello there, dear!" She said with a warm smile. "I was looking for you a bit earlier. I made some dinner for you. It's back in the inn. Just give me a minute to finish up here."

"Thanks…um, have you seen a dark haired woman with a black dog?" Cloud asked as he shifted his weight awkwardly between his legs.

"Oh, that pretty girl? Mhm, I sure have, dear. She just got done with her bath and went to go look around for a bit. She left that delightful dog at the inn to let him eat. That poor creature was starving!"

He sighed. He hated not knowing where she was.

_Ugh. I can't deny it anymore._

_I am worrying about her._

After the old woman finished assembling their beds, she lightly grabbed the man's arm to guide him over to the bright lights coming from the windows of the inn. He felt like a helpless little kid following his grandmother.

"Now, right after you eat, you can take a nice bath. You can use the room that's under the staircase. And if your doggie wants a bath, he can have one too!" She said as she opened the wooden door. The inn was small and was built right into the cool rocks of the canyon. There were several wooden table benches covered with beige crochet patterns for décor. There was a small bar with a man about the same age as the old woman cleaning up some dishes. On the side were several barrels of various drinks, stacked up against the rock staircase that went up to the occupied rooms above. Between the barrels was a door that he presumed went to the old couple's room. At the side of the bar was his German shepherd, blissfully munching away at some food out of a blue, plastic dog bowl.

"Well hello, sonny! This the boy who helped with gettin' Jonah back?" The bartender asked.

_I guess it's sometimes good to see a few friendly people…_

"I think it is!" The woman answered as she pulled Cloud over to a seat at the bar where his dinner sat. It smelled delicious and looked wholesomely homemade. It was a hearty meal of baked chicken accompanied with whipped mashed potatoes and freshly steamed vegetables. He hadn't eaten a home cooked meal in what seemed like ages…and he could hear his stomach yearn for it. He was definitely starting to like this place.

"Before you start chowing down, I'll need your coat," The small lady asked. Silently and politely, the blond gave his dirty coat to her. "I'll get it cleaned up and give it back freshly clean to you tomorrow, dear."

He thanked her again and dove into his plate. His taste buds savored the buttery and fresh tastes, and everything tasted wonderful. After wolfing down his meal, he washed it all down with an ice cold beer the bartender gave him. Satisfied, he left the bar for the shower with Fenrir following at his side.

Cloud washed his dog first. He scrubbed off all the dirt, ash, and everything else between his thick paws and dark pelt. He still kept the silver chain that hung around the dog's neck, however, figuring that it showed some kind of ownership of the animal and it was better to hold him with than his fur. Fenrir thoroughly enjoyed his scrub down and shook out himself out before racing out to explore the rest of the canyon.

Finally, Cloud was able to shower and get cleaned up. He took off his dark grey thermal sweater and hung it on the bathroom doorknob. He was about to finish stripping down when he caught a glimpse of himself in the small, square mirror. Gods, he looked like crap. His handsome visage still had some old blood spots as well as dirt streaks across his cheek and forehead. His sparkling sapphire eyes had dark bags underneath them, showing tiredness. His feathery, spikey hair had flattened a little and was messy with sweat and blood. His toned chest down to his carved abs had a few memories scarred into it, all from the never ending fight for survival. Even his built and trimmed arms had some. He shook his head.

_I really do smell._

The shower felt good against his skin as he finished scrubbing the scum off his body. The water ran down the back of his neck to his back as stood staring at shower wall in front of him, lost in thought. He ran his fingers through his wet blond hair as his other hand laid flat against the tile wall in front of him. He had second thoughts again on bringing Tifa along with him. He thought about what Bugenhagen said…about how things were only going to get more dangerous on the road to North Corel. He knew that she wasn't some pathetic weakling. She could handle herself in situations and could definitely pack a punch. His hand reflexively went to his cheek, and a smirk formed at the corners of his lips. He could still remember when she nailed him off his feet.

_That's one way to meet a girl, I suppose._

But she wasn't just any girl…she was….she was different than any other girl he had met. When she would look at him, he could feel some kind of peculiar feeling deep in his chest. And he had a strange feeling of possessiveness of her, like he needed to protect her from the world. It's not that he didn't _want_ her to come with him…it was just he didn't want to put her through all that danger and risk anymore. He's been out in the wasteland long enough to know that there are plenty of men out there willing to do anything to satisfy their…desires. He just wanted to keep her away from all of that. To protect her.

He sighed out of frustration as he finished his shower and pulled on his clothes.

_What the hell am I thinking?_

_Protecting her?_

_I can't be seriously falling for this girl…_

He slid on his sweater that clung to his lean frame. He looked in the mirror to prop up the long collar and pulled the small collar zipper down a little, revealing a portion of his upper chest. He folded his long sleeves up just past his elbows and slipped his black gloves on. He looked at his reflection, approving his new clean look. As he left the bathroom he remembered what Bugenhagen said.

'_She has a lot of faith in you, Mister Strife, and has a lot of…um…feelings about you.'_

'_I would definitely keep her around, if I were you.'_

He suddenly grew curious and interested. He wondered what the old fellow meant by that.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Cloud drifted back to the bonfire after he left the inn. There was still no Tifa, but there was his lethargic dog, sleeping peacefully on his side on one of the blankets next to the burning fire. He went over and settled himself down on the rocky ground behind the sleeping animal. He propped his knees up and hunched forward to rest his elbows on his kneecaps with his hand grasping his other wrist. His eyes began to watched the tips of the flames from the fire float off into the starry night sky. His mind went off thinking again. About the stupid day. About stupid Bugenhagen. About stupid North Corel. About his stupid thoughts about her.

_Speak of the damn devil…_

His gaze was suddenly fixated on a figure that began to form from the shadows next to the flames. It was a woman's figure he had memorized. Her figure glowed as she slowly approached, like light emerging from the darkness. Her perfect face was cleared away from the blood and dirt stains that once tainted it, showing its true natural beauty. Her dark chocolate hair spilled around her flawless visage and curved around her cheeks. The strains of her dark hair continued to spill a little past her bare shoulders down to the small of her back. She had on a black top that hugged her feminine, lean frame tightly. The neckline was wide as it exposed her bony shoulders. The sleeves ended just at her elbows and her hands were gloveless. The shirt wrapped around her down until they just barely met her tight jeans that lowly hung around her hips. Her brown, ruby eyes bored into his, and for a brief second, his eyes weren't with hers. They quickly and selfishly roamed around the magnificence and splendor of her womanly features before meeting back with her nervous gaze.

Her beauty was unquestionably growing on him.

"Mind if I join you?" Tifa asked with her eyes never straying away.

"Sure," He responded with a nod.

She gave a halfhearted smile as she trotted over and sat down next to the man. She brought her knees up her chest and wrapped her arms around herself as she looked up towards the stars.

"They're beautiful…" She said.

_What, your eyes?_

"…the stars."

_Oh…_

He followed her gaze up to the heavens, where diamonds sparkled against the black night.

"Yeah…"

Her eyes fell to the orange fire. "I talked to Jonah."

"How is she?"

"She's a lot better. They're taking good care of her. She's very thankful."

"That's good."

She grew quiet, and he stared down at the rocky ground between his feet.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what's your story?"

"My story?"

"Yeah."

"…Uh…okay."

"If you don't wanna talk about it…"

"No, it's fine. I'm just trying to find a place to start."

He rolled his shoulders for a minute and exhaled. "Well…as you heard, my father died when I was very young. I don't have any memory of him. I just remember growing up with my mother and her brother and sister. We lived at this placed called Nibelheim in the mountains up north. It was a pretty decent place that was slowly growing. My mother and my aunt taught me some of the basics of survival and educated me; while when Reeve was home he taught me skills and techniques with various weapons and how to defend myself. And when he was gone, I would often go up to the mountains and hang around up there."

"Did you go with friends?" Tifa asked.

"No. I didn't really have any friends." Cloud replied with a shrug.

"You didn't play with some of the local boys? No one?"

He shook his head. "I ended up getting in fights with them. None of them would go to the mountains with me anyways. They were always scared."

"Oh…"

"I just thought that the mountains were more adventurous I guess. I don't know. I was different than the other boys. But, it didn't bother me. I would just go on with my business," Cloud said, keeping his eyes at the ground.

"One day when Reeve was home he went up to the mountains with a bunch of men. He strictly told me not to go; even my mom yelled at me and locked me up in my room. She never liked it when I went to the mountains anyways. But, of course, I didn't listen. I wanted to know what he was doing and maybe help him out…you know, kind of like how a son wants to help his father? So, I snuck out and followed him. He and some of the members from AVALANCHE were heading to the Mako reactor to destroy it. I was just a kid, so I had no idea that they were gonna blow it up. So I followed them inside the reactor. It cold and dark inside…and I remember being scared. I watched them set up the explosion and run out. I tried running back after them, but my foot got caught onto something, and I was stuck. All I could do was yell and scream, and by the time my uncle heard me, the bomb went off. Then, all I saw was this white flash."

He sighed. "I don't remember much after that. I thought I was dead until I woke up with Reeve shaking me. My head was throbbing and my whole body ached, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I saw Reeve's lips move, calling my name, but I could barely hear him. He had this look of…complete horror on his face." Cloud could feel his chest sting slightly with pain as he continued to recall his memories. "And that's when one of the AVALANCHE men started yelling and pointing down back to the town and everyone started running back and freaking out. When Reeve got me up, I looked to see what was happening. The town was burning. There was fire everywhere. I followed them back down and saw SOLDIERs rampaging through the place and shooting everyone in their path. All the shops, inns, and homes were on fire. We managed to escape, but my aunt didn't. I think AVALANCHE was able to take out the attacking SOLDIERs. But, I don't know. We couldn't stay to see…my mother was badly burnt, and I blacked out. The next thing I knew I woke up in a bed in some house. I was unconscious for about _three weeks_. It felt like I saw Nibelhiem burn just two seconds ago."

"Why were you unconscious for so long?" Tifa quietly asked.

"I had a severe case of Mako poisoning…it's how I got the mark in my eyes."

"Was your mother okay?"

"Yeah. She recovered fairly well."

"It must have been hard for your mother and uncle…"

"It was…my mom looked terrible when I saw her. She was really worried. Reeve was worried too."

"So…where were you guys at? Down south, right?" The brunette asked.

"Yes. We were far west of Gongaga. Reeve stayed with us for only a couple of weeks just to make sure that I was going to be alright. Then he left us and headed over to Gongaga. He said he had some business to do over there and that if we needed any help, he wouldn't be too far away. So, I continued to stay with my mom and took care of her. Reeve visited us only one time after he left. I remember that day. It was the day he brought home Fenrir…" He couldn't help but give a small smile as he watched his sleeping friend. "I was so happy when I got him. I wouldn't go anywhere without him and he wouldn't go anywhere without me…it was like we were inseparable. He was probably my only childhood friend.

"After several years, my mother eventually passed away. Before she died, she told me to go to Gongaga to find Reeve, who I haven't seen since he gave me Fenrir. I left and travelled around a little before heading over to Gongaga. But when I got there…well, you know the rest." He finished. Silence filled in after he spoke, as the memories sank in.

"What about you?" Cloud said as he lifted his head to look at the porcelain woman.

"Me? Well…" She kept her gaze on the flickering fire. "I don't have much of a past or anything. I grew up as an orphan. So, I have no idea who my parents are. I grew up in some orphanage in a really small town out in the east. This nice old lady took care of me and the other children. I grew up with Johnny there. We were like brother and sister.

"Once we got older we ran away. We became scavengers until we picked up work with some traveling merchants. That's how we eventually met Biggs. Him and his family are actually part of the Gi Tribe, I think. I don't remember what he told me. Anyways, we traveled around selling stuff until we eventually settled down at that dump town. It used to be occupied with other settlers, but we were never safe for long. Raiders came in and killed some people, took some stuff, burned some buildings…likes Bigg's inn. After that we never got that many customers, obviously. We were located in the middle of nowhere, and everyone was pretty much leaving the south. But we didn't really care. We had enough supplies to survive anyways and good water. Just like scavengers again."

"I'm just some sorry girl trying to get through life." She sighed and looked down at her boots. Silence started to settle in.

Cloud shook his head. "No you're not. You're a beautiful and brave woman with a good heart."

She looked at him with her brown eyes trying to search through his calm, glowing ones. They flickered with emotion as he stared back. She suddenly grew nervous again.

"I…I think we should get some sleep now. It's, uh…really late…" She said as she got up and made her way to one of the blankets.

He mentally smiled to himself before heading off to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter XI**

White.

Brightness.

Light.

His ocean eyes blinked.

He was awake.

_Get up._

He slowly got up off his back and on his feet. He heard his shoes sloshing around like he was standing in a puddle. He looked down. He saw the perplexed image of himself staring back through disturbed ripples. It was…water. He was standing in water. There was water all around him. His eyes squinted to look as far as he could, but all he could find was nothing but the mirroring water. He looked above. It was white with beautiful, giant green trees. It was like the reflection of the world from above…above him. Everything was so strange…

_What happened…to the canyon?_

_Where is everybody?_

_Where the hell am I?_

"Hello…?" His small voice called. It echoed softly into the distance.

'_Cloud…'_

He called again, with a louder tone. "Hey!"

Nothing.

He sighed and turned his body around. His eyes narrowed.

There was a figure in the distance.

Naturally, his feet picked up in a quick jog over to the unknown being. Water splashed around him as he ran, drawing closer and closer. With every step his vision improved and the blurred figure began to sharpen. His eyes widened, and his hurried movement ceased. He gazed upon the figure with complete awe.

_Tifa…_

She stood before him with perfect posture. Her feminine form was clothed in a one-shoulder, white sheer gown with a silk liner underneath. An elegant diamond pin held the fabric at her left shoulder that matched the diamond chain that hugged her natural waist. A long, slender leg was exposed from the deep slit of the dress that ended just at the middle of her thigh. Her contrasting dark hair fell around her shoulders and face. Her red wine eyes absorbed into his blue ones as tranquility blossomed from her porcelain countenance.

It was like he was looking at a goddess.

She slowly extended out her delicate hand to him, and her pink lips moved.

"Do you trust me?"

_Yes…_

He tore his eyes away from her and looked at her reaching hand. He walked to her, allured by her presence. He gave a nod and firm answered her.

"I trust you."

He reached for her and wrapped his hand around hers. She smiled.

"Be strong," She said.

He cocked his head in puzzlement.

_What?_

Suddenly, he could feel a growing, burning pain in his chest and torso. He groaned as he ripped his hand free from hers to grasp his arm that stung of pain. His legs gave out, causing him to crash onto his knees into the splashing water. He growled and winced in agony as he painfully looked back up at the dark haired woman.

"What's…wrong…with me?" He muttered out before he violently began coughing up blood. His gray thermal was staining in thick spots of his red blood. It dripped into the water, infecting the calm clearness into a hazy crimson. He could feel his breathless lungs aching for oxygen.

She shook her head as she placed the barrel of her hand gun to his chest.

"Trust me."

Her finger wrapped around the trigger, and the look on her face darkened.

_No, wait! You can't!_

_Why? I don't understand! _

He looked down at his chest and watched the gun flash.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Cloud abruptly sat up, clutching his chest and gasping for air. His heart throbbed in his chest like it was about to explode or something as sweat dripped from the sides of his face. He felt a soft hand touch his shoulder in comfort.

"Cloud! It's okay…it's okay…" Tifa assured with worry in her eyes. "Are you alright?"

Cloud looked around him. Above him was the cloudy and early morning sky, colored in shades of sweet lavender, gray blue, and fire orange-red. Around him was the rocky canyon he remembered falling asleep to. He was lying in his scattered blankets next to the cooled bonfire. Tifa was on her knees at his side, holding him tight and steady with Fenrir awake and closely next to her.

"Cloud…?" She asked again in need of a response.

After catching his breath he looked down at his chest and body. There was no blood. There was no bullet wound. There was no water, no trees in the sky. Everything was normal. He was alive.

The brunette squeezed his arm, and he finally looked at her.

"Are you okay?" She repeated.

He slowly nodded his head. "I just–I–uh…yeah…yeah I'm okay."

"Did you…have a bad dream or something?"

_You don't even wanna know…_

"It's nothing." He pulled away from her touch and got on his feet. "We should…get ready to leave."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

It had been almost two weeks since they left Cosmo Canyon and had journeyed back out into the wasteland. Cloud had gotten used to Tifa and came to find her as a valuable asset. If they couldn't find a local town nearby they could easily setup camp. And if they had their camp, some nights Cloud would stay up to watch for fiends or raiders, and other nights Tifa would take the graveyard shift. It was also easier defending against the lurking beasts that they would sometimes run into. Even getting food and water took less time and work with Tifa. And no matter where they were, she would always be up to help anyone out in which he ended up doing the same.

Traveling with her made the trip to North Corel both more exciting and comforting. She would always have something to talk about that kept him interested and talking. He would find himself growing out of his quiet, withdrawn shell and start being his true self. It was like she was morphing him into someone he had always wanted to be…or something he used to be. He liked the change. He started smiling often, even though most of the time they were just small, crafty grins. They would even deviously play around to lighten up the mood. Just like peas and carrots. They just worked together.

"We there yet?" Tifa's recurring question came out in a sigh, and it broke Cloud out of thought.

He gave his usual and recurring reply. "Nope."

"Wow, really? It's like we've been out here for centuries," She said as she trekked onwards in usual their usual formation.

Cloud took out his torn map. "Want me to show you where we are…again?"

The woman stopped and waited until he caught up with her.

He pointed. "We're right…oh, wait…" He adjusted the map and turned it. "Actually, we're not there. We're right here."

"No way. You said we were there the last time!"

"Well, we haven't moved that far since the last time I showed you, which was about fifty yards ago."

She placed a hand on her jutting hip and gave him a playful shove at his shoulder.

"Oh, come on. I don't ask _that_ often."

He placed his map back in his pocket. "Oh, but you _do_."

"_I don't know where the fuck the damn thing came from. Just it the fuck away from here…I'm not letting this little pretty go. We need the damn money."_

_BARK BARK BARK!_

"_Get! Get out of here damn mutt!"_

Cloud and Tifa looked ahead of them and didn't see the black German shepherd. Tifa looked back at Cloud.

"Let's go."

They ran over to the noise, dodging rocks and muddy puddles of the mountainous terrain. They came up to a small cliff where they saw the black dog, two men and a girl. The little girl was standing at the edge of the cliff and looked as if she was threatening to jump over into the small pool of black water below. She was clothed in filthy rags and trembled in fear. Her long, black hair was tied in a messy braid and her front bangs were covered in sweat. One of the men was pursuing her, slowly crawling up to her with his red knife drawn while the other was trying to get Fenrir out of the way. Cloud and Tifa took off their bags and drew their weapons.

"Come on, now. We've been through this before. I won't harm you unless you come with us. Now, just step away from the edge there and come with me…It'll make this trip a hell lot easier…"

"Get away from me! I'd rather jump than become a slave!" She screamed.

_Rrrrrrr!_

"Dude! The damn thing isn't leaving! I think–GAHH! My leg! It's got my damn leg!"

Suddenly, Tifa's fists met with the screaming man's face that sent him into the moist ground. His mouth literally ate the dirt.

The other man turned around. "What are you–ahhh!"

An arrow crippled his leg, blindly distracting him as Cloud went over to the terrified young girl.

"Are you–"

_SMACK!_

She threw a punch that landed on the side of his face and leaped off the cliff.

_What is up with women and sucker punching men? Damn!_

"You're gonna pay for that, asshole! You don't mess with slavers. We'll fuck you up!"

"Cloud! Behind you!" Tifa shouted as she ran after him.

The blond turned and was instantly tackled over the edge by the wounded man. They splashed into the chilly, murky water as they wrestled and fought each other. Cloud managed to get behind the man and wrapped his arms around his neck to try and choke him to death. But as the man resisted, his elbow went back and jabbed his nose. Cloud released his grip and struggled to get air. But the slaver pulled him back down and attempted to rip out the knife still in Cloud's hand. He could hardly see, but he heard someone else drop into the water, swimming after them. Blindly, Cloud threw himself at his opponent and rammed his combat knife into his gut. The slaver gasped out, losing his oxygen. He continued to stab the man as he aggressively kicked him back in the chest and face. So much blood tainted the water that Cloud had lost total visibility. Cloud drew back after he felt someone grab the collar of his coat, and took him up to the surface. He gasped for air as he reached the top of the water.

"I gotcha!" Tifa's voice came.

He tried to respond but ended up swallowing the black, dirt water and his own blood dripping from his nose and face. She dragged his struggling body out of the water and onto the ground. He was on his back, coughing up grimy watery liquid mixture. Half of his face was painted in his blood that dripped from a small cut at his brow. Tifa hovered over him with concerned eyes. His hazy eyes looked back. Gods, his chest hurt. He could feel her hand caress the side of his bleeding face.

"My gods…he really hit you badly…" Her small voice came.

"Yeah, but he didn't finish the job," A smooth voice came.

Cloud watched as her body froze as a thick metal rod touched her skull. He turned his head to try and see who it was. He saw a man with a lanky physique. He had unkempt red hair with a piece of long hair tied in the back. He had two symmetrical tattoo marks on his cheek bones in the same fiery red color as his hair. He had on a pair of black goggles on that covered his eyes. He had pierced ears and was dressed in a grubby unbuttoned blue suit and untucked dress shirt. Smudged on his pale face was a scheming grin as he ripped the woman away from his side.

"Hey!" She protested. "Get _off_ of me! Let me go, dammit! Stop!"

"Ooohhh, you've got a mouth on you, yo!" The red haired man snickered as he flashed his electrifying electro-mag rod at her. She quickly fell silent. "The boss is gonna love to see you use it!"

Suddenly, his body didn't hurt anymore. Cloud attempted to move to beat the living shit out of the man, but a bald man was already standing over him with a gun pointed in his face. Four other armed with sledgehammers emerged from behind him. The tall, bald man was dressed in the same suit as the other, except in a neater fashion. He wore sleek black sunglasses and earrings as well.

"Hold on there, Spikes…" The lanky man said and looked over at the bald man. "Rude, take the girl and make sure she gets the royal treatment. She's the kind of material the boss is looking for."

The man named Rude nodded and casually stepped over Cloud and gently took her. One of the four men spoke up, hungry for bloodshed.

"You want us to finish this kid, Reno?"

"Hey, hey, hey…I'll handle Spikes, don't worry, yo. Just get the fuckin' truck ready and make sure the broads don't pull some bullshit stunts. Are the two slavers dead?"

"Yeah, and we captured their prisoner."

"Good…all right, yo…get to the fucking truck, damn."

They nodded and left.

Reno squatted down next to the blond man, who was still motionless and boiling in anger. Reno's smile grew wider as he saw the resentment in Cloud's Mako eyes. He took off his goggles, revealing his icy blue ones.

"Yo, Spikes. Sorry about takin' your woman. I know. You're not gonna get laid tonight, but hey, you can always stop by Costa Del Sol and pick up a slave to do the job. You know, so you can blow off some steam or whatever crazy shit you're into?"

"You fucking asshole…I'm gonna _murder_ you…" Cloud growled as his grip tightened on his knife.

"Chill, yo. Look, your broad is the kind of bitch my boss is lookin' for. So don't worry. She's gonna be in good hands…well, okay, not really. I've seen him beat his bitches like they were rags. Anyways, don't blame this shit on me, ight? Me and my partner are just doin' our job. We don't chill with the slavers. Maybe the slave women, but not slavers. And part of our job is takin' out assholes that get in our way…"

Cloud threw his arm over to stab the red haired man with the knife in his hand, but he was faster. Reno easily blocked the assault and rammed a fist into his face. Reno shook his head as he stood up.

"You're fuckin' with the wrong people, Spikes." He said as electricity flowed through his rod. "Enjoy living in hell!"

He brought down his weapon with a hard swing and wacked Cloud into complete darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter XII**

"Fuck…" Cloud groaned. "Ahh, damn…"

His eyes flickered open. He coughed a little, until his felt his stomach twist in knots. He immediately rolled over on all-fours and began vomiting up the rest of the unclean water and the salty blood that seeped into his system.

"Ahhhh, man…" He grumbled as he propped himself off his hands and knees and sat back. He breathed heavily as he took a second to reorient himself. He forced himself to relax his shaking body for a moment as he felt the cool, mountainous breeze pass by him. He looked around the rocky, gray terrain, waiting for his slow recovering memory to return to him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the rough edge of a small cliff. Below was the small pool of water…

That's right. He fell down that cliff. He fell into the water.

He winced as he felt blood ooze from his brow. In reaction, he brought his hand up and flinched as he felt the large open cut just above his right eyebrow. His hand trailed down to the side of his face. It was covered in his dried blood and was crusting over.

"Damn…" He cursed as he sluggishly pulled himself over to the water to see the rest of the damage on his throbbing face. In the dark water he saw that blood had dripped from his nose down onto his lips and chin, all crusted out. There was another crescent cut on the left side of his cheekbone that looked a little burnt, but hardly bleeding. He sighed as he looked away and ran a hand through his sweaty light hair. His eyes met with the knife in his other hand. It finally hit him.

He remembered.

Fenrir. The slavers. The woman. Reno. Rude. Tifa…

_Oh gods…_

_Tifa!_

"Tifa!" He shouted as he stumbled to get to his feet. His eyes darted around frantically, seeing nothing but the rolling hills and dark, nimbus clouds coming in from above.

"Tifaaa!" He called again as his feet carried him back around the cliff. He only found the dead slaver Tifa and Fenrir killed huddled into the soil with half of his arm ripped off. He could hear his pulse grow louder in his ears as he turned around to head back to get their backpacks. But something else caught his eye not too far away. There was a something large and black slumped on the ground. He moved over to it hesitantly. He drew closer and closer…

"No…" He breathed. "Oh gods…please…no…"

He fell to his knees at Fenrir's side. The black dog was lying on his side, motionless. His eyes were shut closed and his pointed ears fell lifelessly back. There was a bullet wound directly into his shoulder. Blood had smeared his fine coat and around his maw and his leathery nose was dry. Cloud's hand gently stroked his flank as a wave of sadness washed over him. He looked down at his childhood friend.

"Fenrir…" He choked out as tried to swallow down the lump in his throat. "Come on…I know you're still there…"

He continued to stroke his fur as he desperately fought back rising emotions. He held on to his small string of hope with his eyes never leaving Fenrir's black face. He impatiently waited…praying to the Gods, that his amber eyes would awaken with life. He gave a small shake. His eyes began to water.

"Come on, dammit…" The man said through his gritting teeth.

_Please…_

He waited again.

But there was still nothing.

He squeezed his eyes shut. His neck recoiled and his face turned away as his blond brows came together in a painful expression. His heart sank, and he felt himself lose grip of his string of hope and prayers. There was so much anguish buried deep in his chest...he could feel it heave, trying to release the years locked up emotions he carried. Memories swarmed his conscious. They'd been through so much together…all the struggles, the pain, the joy. He couldn't morn. He refused to morn. Fenrir didn't deserve to die like this. Not like this…not now…

Tifa was gone…

Fenrir was gone…

_No…_

And then, something snapped. His glittering eyes suddenly darkened. He could feel something in his heart change. He could feel his muscles tense. He could feel his hands form into tight fists and his knuckles turn white. He could feel his blood boil. All his wrapped up emotions of sorrow, his memories, everything…it all started to twist and mutate together…into something…something _savage_…and burn into rage and fury.

He exhaled out through his mouth. He geared back up and lightly picked up his dog into his arms. He strode on like a zombie, feeling a strange appetite for bloodshed and carnage. He wouldn't wait to massacre Reno and his pet slavers and anyone else standing in his way. He didn't care. He was just tired of it all. He was tired of his life and everything he cared for fall to shit pieces. Hell, he even thought about just turning around and not even meet up with his uncle. His uncle would just die in some horrific way or get kidnaped with his karma…just like everyone else. Then, something else hit him. He could understand now…he knew Tifa's pain for Johnny. He knew. He would avenge…

"Don't move another muscle, you piece of _shit_."

The blond stopped. He could feel his heart race, in some kind of sick excitement.

Cloud bent down and placed Fenrir back down and peeled off his gear again. He could hear something click behind him.

"You damn bitch! I told you not to move!" A coarse voice came.

Refusing to listen, Cloud turned himself around to find a heavy-set, dark skinned man before him. Cloud immediately noticed the man's unique feature, which was his right gun-arm. The gun mounded on his arm was enormous and wide. With a few shots he could probably blow some serious holes in people. That is, if he had any ammo, which was a rare find for travelers. His arms were thick with muscle and inked with tattoos on his left arm. His black hair was fashioned in cornrows that fell to his neck. His gruff face had their shares of scars with some cutting into his unshaven beard and back towards his pierced left ear. He wore a faded white vest and a fishnet shirt with a dog-tag chain hanging from his neck. He had on dark green pants and large leather boots on, all scuffled up with dirt and some small holes. His big brown eyes stared at him accusingly.

"You lil' fucker! I 'ought to just blow a fuckin' hole right through your chocobo head!" He thundered.

"Go ahead, asshole…do it." Cloud encouraged as he appeared unmoved. "You don't scare me. Your fucking gun doesn't scare me. _Death_ doesn't fucking scare me."

"I'm warnin' you!"

"I bet your gun hardly has any ammo."

"Where's my girl? Where the hell did your damn slavers take her? Where's my little girl?"

"I don't have your girl."

"Shut the fuck up! I _saw_ you with them! Them fuckin' slavers! I saw yo spikey ass–"

"No, _you_ shut the fuck up!" Cloud uncontrollably roared as he took a daring step forward. "I have been through _enough_ shit already! I don't know where the fuck she is or where those fucking bastards are! They killed my dog and took my girl away too!"

"I don' believe you…"

"You don't have to…" Cloud stated as he reached for his knife. "…because I don't give a shit if you do."

"You cocky, crazy son-of-a-bitch!" The gunned man growled and pointed his gun at Cloud, ready to fire. But as he was taking aim, Cloud was already in motion. He took a hard swing at the blond with the thick barrel of his gun. Cloud simply ducked and dodged it, but the man was quick to counter it with another swing down. But again, Cloud dodged it as he leaped up with his knife pointed out to dig into his flesh. The man looked up and braced himself for a few split seconds. He was knocked down off his feet and fell backwards. Just seconds before Cloud could jab his neck, his face met the palm of the man's normal hand and his neck instantly arched back in a painful angle. His knife ended up slashing the man across his dark face from the side of his nose up between his bushy brows. The gun man grunted and his gun shot off. The bullet whizzed by Cloud's ear, just barely missing his face and deafening him. Out of pure rage the blond desperately tried to get out of the man's grasp, but his strong hand and arm was effortlessly able to hold Cloud and shove him back off. Cloud fell back, sliding on his elbows. As he was shifting to get up, another gun was rammed into his face. But, it wasn't the one-armed man's. It was an assault rifle.

Cloud slowly followed the barrel up to holder's face. It was a man who was tall and very well-built. He was clothed in a light brown combat suit held together with leather straps. On his belt were leather pouches and several combat knives. The back of his suit had a familiar red death skull logo with an 'A' on the skull's forehead. His shoulders were armed with metal pauldrons, and on his left arm was a red cloth tied around his bicep. His sleeves were rolled up just below his elbows that met with his brown gloves that hand protective metals on both of his knuckles. He wore brown combat boots that reached up to his knees with plated metal around his feet and ankles. He had shaggy, spikey black hair with bangs framing the side of his face. His concealed eyes stared down at Cloud through brown leather goggles.

"Stay down! Don't move!" His firm voice came as he jammed his gun into Cloud's visage again. Cloud irately obeyed.

_Great._

_Now I'm in even more shit._

He glanced behind the man to see an extended pickup truck with a fat young man inside, dressed in the same uniform. A young woman with short black hair was standing over the black man with a pointy and large shuriken at his throat in the same outfit as the rest of the men were. Another man was knelt over Fenrir's body, inspecting it. He had long, choppy black hair the fell around his face and his red band on his forehead that practically covered his crimson eyes. The collar of his combat suit was zipped up to his chin, so as he looked down it practically covered the rest of his shadowy countenance.

"Zack, I got the big guy!" She paused for a moment as she spoke to the man. "His name is Barret Wallace. 'Says that he's lookin' for his little girl. She was takin' by the slavers."

"Does he know this guy, Yuffie? They were brawling pretty well. This guy's got some serious cuts on his face." Zack shouted back.

"Nah. He says he saw him walk away from one of the dead slavers that took his daughter. And…" She listened to Barret's murmur as she helped him up. "…he says his face was already fucked up. He says he's a crazy."

_I'm crazy?_

_He's the one who attacked!_

"Are you a slaver?" Zack asked as he pulled his gun back a little. Cloud got up off his elbows in an upright position.

"What are you, the police of the wasteland?" Cloud snorted.

"Something like that…just come on, man. Just answer the question."

"No."

"Are you a ShinRa SOLDIER?"

"No, I'm not."

"What's your name?"

"…Cloud."

"Cloud what?"

"Strife."

Zack's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "_You're_ Cloud Strife?"

_I think so…_

"Yeah?" He replied.

"Cool!" Zack smiled as he wrapped his weapon's strap around him and threw it behind his shoulder. He reached out a hand to help the spiky haired man up. Cloud took it. He took off his goggles, unmasking his deep blue eyes…Mako eyes.

"I'm Zack Fair, lead infantry of AVALANCHE." He pointed to each of the people. "That's Yuffie Kisaragi over there by Barret, that's Wedge over there at the truck, and wayyy over there is Mister Vincent Valentine…all who are a part of my squad. We've heard a lot about you from your uncle. I just never thought I would the one to run into you, haha. Anyways, you need to come with us back to the base."

Cloud shook his head. "I can't. Not now."

"What? Why?"

_Tifa._

"The slavers I ran into took Tifa."

"Tifa?"

"She's…"

_My girl..._

He looked away. "…I have to get her back."

"Hey…" Zack placed his hand on Cloud's shoulder. "You're gonna get her back. But you can't do it alone. Those slavers are armed with weapons up to their eyeballs. They took her to Costa Del Sol, which is their slave base. And you're in luck, 'cause AVALANCHE is planning to launch an attack, and we need all the help we can get."

Cloud wiped away the fresh blood dripping from his nose as he thought.

"You need some medical help too. If you wanna save your girl, you need to be at your best. And we have an _amazing_ medical staff who can fix you up quick."

"When is AVALANCHE launching the attack?" Cloud asked.

"Within a couple of days."

"_Days_?"

_That's too long…_

_I have to get her out_ now…

"We're getting the last bit of our military supplies in…and that will give you enough time to heal. To be exact, it's gonna be about two days or so. It's not long."

"But–"

"Slavers catch people and sell them to willing buyers…they'll keep her alive."

He winced at Zack's statement.

"Just come with us. We can help," Zack assured.

"Zack!" Yuffie yelled. She was at the truck's long bed, helping Barret get on it. "Wallace is on deck! Is chocobo head coming or what?"

"Yeah!" Zack answered as he took the man's shoulders and pushed him over towards the truck.

"Fair, I think you need to check this out," Vincent's bass voice came. He was still looking over the German shepherd.

"I want the dog to come with me," Cloud growled lowly as he climbed up on the truck.

"You got it," The AVALANCHE soldier replied and jogged over to his ally. He knelt down next to the long haired man and spoke with him as their eyes looked at the body. They murmured to each other until Zack gave a final nod to the pale man and stood up. Cloud watched as Vincent carefully picked up the animal in his hands as Zack gathered his equipment.

"Get your barf bags ready, guys. Wedge drives like a freakin' manic, and he likes to run over every huge boulder he sees," Yuffie muttered as she rolled her eyes and opened a door the truck.

"At least I know how to shift gears properly and avoid head on collisions with trees!" The chubby man defended.

"Well–Vincent, what the hell! We're bringing that?" Yuffie said as she moved for Vincent. He placed the dog in the back seat. He turned to her.

"Yes. Watch the dog, and make sure the body is okay." He said and got on the truck's bed next to Barret, sitting across from Zack and Cloud. Yuffie muttered something under her breath before slamming the truck's door behind her. Cloud closed the latch to the bed. Zack stood up and banged on the top of the truck.

"To North Corel, Wedge!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter XIII**

Cloud was silent as he stared off into the distance, watching the wasteland go by before him. His back was slumped over as he leaned against the truck and his legs were sprawled out in front of him with his arms hanging down lifelessly at his sides. His visage carried a blank look as his weary eyes gazed off in thought. His feathery hair gently flowed with the wind and his head jerked a little from Wedge's rough driving. The cuts from his face had stopped bleeding long ago, but half of his face was still crusted over with blood. He could feel curious eyes wonder over him as he sat in silence. Everyone was silent, but muffled voices of Yuffie and Wedge could be heard from the inside of the truck in some kind of ridiculous, heated argument. Barret sat across from him, wiping away the blood that was trickling down his dark face from the bleeding cut. His brown, hateful eyes would flicker over once in a while to the blond and mutter something under his breath. He still didn't trust the man in front of him. But Cloud didn't care. All he cared about was getting Tifa back and out of Costa Del Sol. And AVALANCHE was going to take him there.

"So," Zack said as he turned around and sat down. "Did any of you guys see who the slavers were?"

"They're dead," Barret growled as he flashed a glare in Cloud's direction.

The blond shook his head as he continued to stare off. "They're not all dead."

"Did you see the rest of them?" Zack asked as he curiously cocked his head.

"Yeah. There was a guy…red hair…ahh…" Cloud shut his eyes and went through the files in his head. "I think his name was Reno or something…and he had several other people with him too. Including some bald guy."

"With shades?"

"Yeah…they took Tifa…and a small girl."

"Marlene!" Barret bursted.

"Reno and Rude," Vincent confirmed as he glanced over at Zack with his deadly three-barreled revolver readily in his hand.

"Yeahhhh…Reno and Rude. They work for ShinRa…" Zack rolled his blue eyes. "We're always after them. But, at least they'll be at Costa Del Sol so we can finally take them out. We've been chasing them forever!"

"Yeah? Well, I think we jus' brought aboard another ShinRa worshippin' dog…" The gun-armed man muttered, still staring at Cloud.

"You don't even know me…" The blond growled, still refusing to look back.

"Aw, come on, Barret. Cloud doesn't even look…okay, maybe he looks kinda scary right now, but he's not the slaver type. I mean, his girlfriend just got taken away too. Cut him some slack, man," The soldier explained.

_My girlfriend?_

"We can get them back though. Tifa and Marlene. You guys can help us ambush the slaver camp and get them back," He said as his hand formed a strong fist. "But we need to work together on this in order to be successful. This is gonna be a tough and long fight."

"So Reno and Rude…they're slavers too?" Cloud asked out of thought.

"Um, well, sort of. They mostly work directly with ShinRa. More specifically, Rufus ShinRa, who is the current president of the company. They follow any order he barks out. And I guess Rufus wanted…" Zack let his sentence drift off. He scratched the back of his head in awkwardness. "Anyways…most slavers aren't from ShinRa. Well, the guys out in the wasteland capturing people at least aren't. But for the business side of slaving, yeah, they're all ShinRa crazies. So basically, Costa Del Sol is really a ShinRa base, but like, the dirtier side…of business." He shrugged. "Something like that."

"So you AVALANCHE guys are gonna clean up…" Barret said. "We gonna fight?"

"Yeahhh, the wars been long over, so we might as well clean up the rest of ShinRa," Zack answered. "You guys can definitely fight…I mean if that's what you guys wanna do. We could use you guys on the field. Especially with a wicked gun like that!"

"Of course I'm gonna fight on the damn field! I'm gonna blow those fuckin' assholes up! And blast holes in their fuckin' heads!" Barret exclaimed.

"Heh, great!" Zack said with a cheery voice and looked over at Cloud. "What about you? You're gonna be out on the field right?"

"…Yeah," The blond answered. "I'm fighting."

Zack smiled at him before returning his attention to Barret. "So, Barret, what were you and your daughter doing out here, if you don't mind me asking?"

"We were headin' to Corel…for some place to stay and make a livin'. We heard that it was the only decent place that was protected."

"Her name was Marlene, right?"

"Yeah."

"How old is she?"

"She's seven…"

"Oh."

"She's not my daughter…"

"What?"

"She's not my damn daughter…she's my friend's daughter. Both of her parents died in a raider attack. I tried to save them…" Barret lifted his gun arm. "But I…couldn't. I managed to get Marlene outta there though. That was the least I could do."

He shook his head. It was painful for him to talk about her.

"She was only one when all of that happened. She don't remember anythin'. She thinks I'm her real father…and I tell her she's my real daughter. She's the only thin' keepin' me alive. I live for her…that's why I'm gonna take out them motha fuckers and get her back."

"What about you, Cloud?" Zack questioned. "Same thing?"

"Yeah. And to try and find Reeve. He's the only family member I have left."

"Reeve? You're related to him?" Vincent suddenly asked as his red eyes drifted over to him.

"Yes. He's my mother's brother."

"This is interesting…"

"Yeah, but there's just kind of _one_ problem…" Zack said as he scratched the back of his head again.

Cloud looked at him with one eyebrow arched up. "One problem?"

"Reeve is kind of…not _there_…"

"He's _not there_?"

_What. The. FUCK._

"Heh…um…no…"

"What the _fuck_, I mean, I found his letter and he told me to go to North Corel. I am going there, right? This fucking place is a fucking AVALANCHE base right? What the f–"

"Whoa! Whoa…calm down! We are going to North Corel and everything it's just he's not at the base that's all. I'll explain everything to you later once we get there…"

Cloud slammed his fist down on the truck bed.

"I want to know _now_, dammit," He hissed as his Mako eyes glowed.

The disturbance quickly made Vincent hostile, and instantly he aimed his revolver at the blond's face. Zack immediately pulled down the gun barrel and shot a look at the quiet man.

"He's been through a lot today, so I understand if he's a little edgy. We need him anyways…to help with the ambush," He uttered with a stern voice. Vincent stared at Cloud for a few seconds before putting his gun away and easing back.

"Cloud…when, or where, did you get that letter?"

"I found it when I was at Gongaga. I found it hidden in a wall."

"Gongaga…wow. It's been some time since Reeve has been there," Zack said as he folded his arms across his chest and sat criss-crossed.

"How long?" Cloud questioned.

"About five years or so. Gongaga got attacked by ShinRa SOLDIERs when they found out Reeve was helping out there. They came well-armed and bombed that place to shreds. Reeve and some of the other AVALANCHE members had to escape."

"Why was he at Gongaga? What was he doing? Something for AVALANCHE?"

"Yeah, he was trying to establish a base there and get more towns built down there and get some alternative energy going."

"So he got back to North Corel, I'm guessing, and then…?"

"Well, he stayed with us for several years, making sure the base was well managed and everything…until eventually he really wasn't needed here anymore. AVALANCHE headquarters wanted him at Fort Condor. They needed him to assist other towns and cities and help in more energy research. He's kind of a famous guy in AVALANCHE…and he's helped a lot of people."

"Yeah, I know…" Cloud sighed. "So where the hell is Fort Condor?"

"Okay, this is the part where you're _really_ gonna hate me…" Zack mumbled. "For Condor is basically way, _way_ out on the other side of the map. Like on the next land mass."

"_What_?"

_How the hell am I supposed to get over there?_

"Yeah…but I do have some good news. You can head to a place called Rocket Town and meet a guy named Cid Highwind there. He's an AVALANCHE member with a super cool flying ship. As long as you're good with heights and Cid's loud, fowl mouth, then you should be good."

"Wait, what's at that Fort place?" Barret chimed in.

"Fort Condor is where AVALANCHE is headquartered at. It's probably the most urban and civilized place in the whole wasteland. There are living facilities, fresh water, food, and even work for payment. The first real city you could say. It's all protected by massive walls built around it. It's the place everyone really wants to be…" Vincent grunted. "…and work at."

"Wow…" The father spoke, amused.

"Yeah…I remember that assignment at Condor. Definitely wayyy better. And the safest." Zack agreed.

"Ain't this one safe too? Corel?"

"Well, yeah, but our jobs as soldiers aren't the best here…at least the field work isn't thanks to raiders and slavers. But, you know, we manage."

Suddenly they heard someone roll down the truck's window from the left side.

"Hey, boys! We're almost there!" Yuffie shouted.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

After another hour or so, the truck finally reached North Corel. The land was plain and full of rocks, like it was a desert. The whole base place was fenced off with metal fence and barbed wire as two old, enormous trees stood at the entrance holding a red banner that read 'North Corel'. Several buildings and shops stood from the base that seemed newly renovated with various scrap parts and good wood. Around the military base were a few metal bunkers that seemed to be built into the ground. The AVALANCHE military and members swarmed the place as well as many civilians. It looked incredibly busy with trucks and personnel entering and exiting through the open gates, despite the darkening sky and its threat for a storm. Their truck followed the dusty road all the way up to the rusty gates, heavily guarded by armed AVALANCHE soldiers. They're goggled, concealed eyes were all focused on Cloud and Barret. One of the soldiers motioned Wedge to roll down his window.

"Whatcha bringin' in? More civilians?" She asked.

" Oh th–"

"These kids are helpin' us out at Costa!" Yuffie interrupted Wedge.

"Hey!" Wedge pouted.

"Hiya, Jesse!" Zack shouted as he stood up and leaned his body against the top of the truck. "When did you get on gate duty?"

"Hey Zack…since yesterday and it's just been a blast…" She then made a motion with her arm for Wedge to pull on through. "Go ahead in."

Wedge quickly drove the truck in before twisting his head back to talk to the Mako eyed soldier.

"Where do you wanna take them?"

Zack looked back at Cloud, who silently stared back with uncertainty. He gave a half smile before sweeping his glowing gaze over to Barret. Both of the men were still wounded and bloody.

"Uh, let's get them to the medical station down in the bunkers. These guys need some serious medical attention…and we have an emergency."

_An emergency?_

Cloud looked over at Barret. He looked fine…he did have a deep cut in his face, but deep enough to make him bleed all over the place. There might be a little scarring, but it should be nothing serious. He looked down at himself, finding his blood all over the place as well, but he felt okay…much better than he did earlier. And Vincent and Zack looked like they were okay too…so did Wedge and Yuffie.

_Maybe our wounds just look really bad._

After the truck stopped, Zack helped Cloud and Barret off the back and lead them through the metal door to one of the grounded bunkers. Vincent quietly followed with Fenrir's body in his arms as Yuffie and Wedge followed swiftly behind him. The black, spikey haired man guided them down the metal stairs, into the underground. It was cold and dimly lit as they snaked their way through the metal steel halls. Busy soldiers and AVALANCHE members scurried through the rooms and halls of the bunker some carrying files and clipboards. After dodging a few people, they made their way to a room that had a neon green light sign that read 'Medical Station'.

The medical station was quite large and was equipped with advanced medical tech and beds. Some of the beds were occupied and others were vacant. There were several separate rooms for surgery, storage, offices, more beds, and even a waiting room.

Zack went over to one of the nurses. She took off her stethoscope out from her ears. "Zack?"

"Hey, is Aerith here? I, uh, kinda need to see her…"

"Yeah, she just got done with an operation. She's in the waiting room."

"Great!"

Zack and Vincent quickly made their way into the room with Cloud and Barret trailing behind them. They entered and found a beautiful young woman stand with an elderly couple. She spoke to them with soft, comforting words and generously smiled to them. She had long light brown hair that was tied with a pink ribbon in a high ponytail twisted together down her back. Her segmented bangs framed her face as her emerald green eyes showed warmth and openness. She was dressed in a white doctor's coat with a stethoscope hanging around her neck. Underneath, she wore a white and light red top tied around the neck with buttons down the front. She had on a frilly white and pink skirt that fell just below her knees and a pair of bulky brown boots. Her eyes seemed to brighten as they met with Zack's, and she kindly let the couple leave.

Both Zack and Vincent approached Aerith and lowly spoke to her. Her eyes fell on the black dog still in Vincent's arms and her smile seemed to fade.

"What are they talking about?" Yuffie whispered to Wedge, who shrugged in response.

_What are they doing with Fenrir?_

"Is…the dog…okay?" Barret asked Cloud.

Cloud shifted uncomfortably, and looked down at his feet. His brows furrowed in slight anger and grief.

"He's gone."

"Then what the hell are they doin' to it?"

"I…I don't know."

He looked up to see Aerith nodding and examining Fenrir's body. She spoke to Vincent, who nodded back in response and turned to leave for an operation room. The woman then came over to the group with Zack at her side.

"…He's the spikey blond one," The soldier said as he pointed to Cloud.

"Mister Strife?" Aerith's smoothing voice sang. Yuffie grabbed him and awkwardly shoved him forward.

"Will you please come with me?"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter XIV**

The blond followed the woman to a private room, where she sat him down on a hospital bed. Aerith stood in front of him and extended out her hand in welcome.

"Mister Strife, my name is Doctor Gainsborough, lead surgeon and physician of the North Corel AVALANCHE medical station."

Cloud took her soft hand and shook it.

"…Nice to meet you. Just call me Cloud. Do you mind if I ask where you took my dog?" He asked as he returned his hand back to his side.

"Yes, in fact that's who I wanted to talk about with you. Also, if you don't mind, I would like to attend your wounds."

"Uh…sure," He uttered. Quickly, she went over to the sink and cabinets on the side of the room and retrieved a damp cloth, some antiseptics, and a few other things to aid his wounds. She washed her hands thoroughly and slipped on her blue plastic gloves and strode back over to him.

Her cold hands touched his visage delicately as she turned his head to the side to study the large cut above his eyebrow.

"The dog is preparing to go into operation."

_What?_

"But…he's dead…"

"Actually, he's still alive."

"But…"

She pulled away from just a moment.

"His pulse was very faint, but it was there."

Cloud tilted his head down as his glowing eyes stared at the white bed. He couldn't believe it. Fenrir was alive!

"His bullet wound was deep, but very fixable. Once the prep team gets him ready for surgery, I'll operate on him and get him back on his paws."

She smiled and went back to his wound, but found herself dumbfounded. She pulled back again and stared at him with curious eyes. Cloud looked back in puzzlement.

"Is…something wrong?"

"Your…wound…it's already healing."

_Genetics._

She turned his face again to examine his nose and the cut on his cheekbone. Everything was healing perfectly. But it looked like she knew…sort of…

"I…usually don't see this in most people I help. I've only seen this with some of the soldiers…who have the same eyes," She said as started to wipe away the blood on his face.

He sighed. "My father had some messed up genetics, and I ended up getting some of them."

"Oh...what about your eyes?"

"Childhood accident with a Mako reactor…" Cloud muttered.

"Well…that's different. Some of our soldiers used to be a part of ShinRa and have the trademark in their eyes," Aerith stated as she finished cleaning his striking countenance. "Like that man you met, Zack Fair."

"He…was a SOLDIER?"

_He sure didn't act like one._

"Yes, he was. His father made him join when he was very young." She shook her head as her smile fell a little. "His genetic code was altered due to all the experiments they did to him…"

_Damn…_

"What is ShinRa trying to do with their military?"

"They're trying to create the best SOLDIERs by using genetic engineering. They inject these special cells into their top SOLDIERs and infuse them with Mako energy when they are still young. It's an extremely dangerous process. Most of them don't survive…but those who do survive are always on the frontline."

"How did he come to AVALANCHE?" Cloud asked.

"Eventually, he found out about the experiments. He left with his friend, Angeal, and managed to escape. Some AVALANCHE soldiers found them just outside of North Corel and brought them in, initially as prisoners, but we soon released them and allowed them to fight for us when they explained themselves." She looked away for a moment. " Zack is a wonderful man…"

_They definitely have something going on…_

"Are they the only ones from ShinRa?"

"Nope. Mister Valentine worked for ShinRa, but he wasn't a SOLDIER. A few more are field soldiers, but none of them have what Zack and Angeal have…well except for you."

Cloud scratched the back of his head. "Well, I don't think I'm exactly like them. I just heal quickly and move slightly faster. But I'm probably not as fast as they are."

Aerith placed her small hand on his shoulder and light squeezed.

"You're still just as good."

Suddenly, the metal door slid open, and a woman poked her head in.

"Doctor Gainsborough?"

The woman turned. "Yes? Is the dog ready?"

"Yes ma'am, and Officer Fair would like to see Mister Strife…if he's alright." Zack then emerged from behind the nurse. He leaned his toned body against the metal frame as his arms folded across his chest and played a smirk on his face.

The woman with the pink ribbon turned her head over her shoulder. Her emerald eyes seemed to smile into his Mako ones. "He's just fine. Do you need anything else, Mister Strife? Oh! I mean Cloud…"

He shook his head.

"Very well. We will meet again after the operation is complete." She gave a small, assuring nod before exiting the room with her assistant, leaving the two boys.

"Met Aerith, huh?"

"Yeah…she seems, uh, fond of you."

The soldier gave a hearty chuckle. "Heh, yeah…we're kind of together. Anywho, it looks like she fixed you up a little bit. Now I can actually see your face!"

_That's…good…_

"I have some good news for you, buddy. Our shipments are coming in early tomorrow. So we're gonna be heading out to Costa Del Sol a little later that morning. Most of the slavers will be out for capturing and the business guys will be busy with customers. So I think it will be a quick battle…hopefully."

Cloud sat up a little straighter. He was definitely ready to take down these 'slavers' and get Tifa back. After all they've done to him…they were going to pay. He just prayed to the gods that they haven't done anything to her…or have taken her anywhere.

"Since you'll be fighting with us, you'll need to wear a uniform. I also recommend you using our firearms and other weapons…most of our defenses are big guns, bullets, and explosives. Gunfire is strongly wanted for the frontline. I mean, you could still use your wicked bow, but like, you just won't be right up there with us." His thumb pointed to himself. "We just want to give you the most protection possible so that you don't have to see Aerith or this place anymore. You okay with that?"

It had been sometime since he had used and fired a gun. He remembered firing a pistol with Reeve when he was younger and once during a life and death battle out in the wasteland with a fiend. He had kept his pistol for a while, but since ammo was hard to find, he found no use of it and sold it for food and gil. But, he would manage. He imagined it wouldn't be that hard, and maybe they would let him practice at a firing range or something before the ambush. In fact, he was kind of interested in firing some bullets instead of arrows for once. Bullets would definitely get the job done faster.

"Yeah, all right…when do I get my uniform and weapon?"

"Right now, my friend! Follow me," Zack said and motioned with his head.

Cloud got on his feet and followed his new friend out of the medical station and over to the men's locker room. The room was rather large and was built in a familiar fashion of metal and dimly lit. Zack opened a metal storage closet that was squeezed between the tall walls of lockers and rummaged through it. His glowing eyes would often glance back at Cloud, examining his shape and randomly guessing his sizes through his head.

"I think…I found one your size, but I'm not completely sure…so just try it on before heading out into the field, okay? We don't want clothes so baggy that you're falling everywhere or clothes so tight that you can barely even move, ha."

The black haired man threw out a uniform, and Cloud caught it. The blond examined it and placed it against his body for judgment. It looked about right. As he mused about his uniform, a pair of leather boots was thrown into his face. He caught them but was barely able to hold onto his clothes. He gathered everything and placed them on one of the metal benches in the middle of the room. He changed into the signature AVALANCHE uniform, tied the iconic red bandana cloth around his left bicep, and placed his regular clothes in a locker that Zack assigned him. Cloud took a quick glance in the mirror of the locker. He looked rough and absolutely horrid in the face. But overall, he looked…different. He never thought he would ever be wearing a uniform…let alone become a fighting soldier.

"It's a good fit. You look sharp, man!" Zack complimented as he returned to the closet and closed it shut.

Cloud ran his hand through his spikey hair. "I…guess."

His appearance didn't really matter to him at the moment…

Zack laughed and wrapped his arm around Cloud's shoulders in a friendly gesture and guided him out.

"Loosen up, bud. Hopefully our armory will get you excited."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

It seemed like the day would never end. Night slowly came and fell upon North Corel. The underground bunker finally settled down in stillness. The hallways grew unbearably quiet. There were no more people hustling down the hallways, no more voices, noise, nothing. It was so quiet that the lulling hum of the artificial lights and cool breeze from the air conditioner could be heard in the freezing hallways. But it wasn't quiet were Cloud was. It was filled with the loud snoring of men.

He was lying on his back on one of the lower bunk beds with no blankets on top of him. His ocean eyes stared sleeplessly at the bottom of the bed above him that was occupied by Zack Fair's muscular body. He was still dressed his brown uniform, just like everyone else snoozing around him. He didn't know how anyone else could sleep with the big day ahead of them tomorrow…but then again, he wasn't a soldier. He had never been on a mission before. Hell, he was just doing this to get Tifa back. These guys have probably done this shit a million times before. It was no wonder they could sleep like babies. Zack even seemed excited for the ambush.

Whatever. Maybe he was just excited too…to rip those damn slaver's guts out for taking his girl and for just pissing him off. Regardless, he was ready for battle. Zack had equipped him with an impressive assault rifle, which he practiced firing, and a semi-automatic pistol he could still feel on his side. He even showed him around the base a little more, got to know some of the soldiers better, and also introduced him to the fireteam he was on.

He was assigned with Zack to Angeal Hewley's team, who was very happy to have him on board on a mission that would supposedly 'help better the world'. He gave Cloud and Zack a quick brief on what they would be doing, how they would execute the plan, and so on and so on. Half of it, Cloud barely knew what the hell he was talking about. He just knew that they would be in leading everyone and doing most of the close up work, which was what he signed up for. Finally, after being briefed to death, he finally got word from Aerith about Fenrir.

"_He's alive."_

The operation had been successful, and she was able to get him breathing again. The dog was weak and had to stay at the medical station to recuperate before he could be back on his paws again. He thanked the gods for hearing him out.

_Now I just need Tifa back…_

_Please…help me get her back._

He shut his eyes for a moment, feeling a hard pang hit his chest. He hated himself for losing her…for being so damn weak. For _caring_ about her. For…for _loving_….

He shook his head.

This was his fault. All of this…all of it was his fault.

His eyes opened as he heard the sudden alarm sirens go off in the resting quarters.

_I _will_ save her._


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter XV**

The soldiers left North Corel late in the morning in truck loads. The three fireteams were the first to depart in separate trucks. Several other trucks followed behind them for extra soldiers and room for the slaves to come back on. Cloud was with Zack and Angeal in their truck, silently gearing up and getting ready to fight. He was totally psyched for the battle. He knew what he was fighting for, and he was ready to take out anyone willing to get in his way. No mercy. Angeal was also serious…just not as serious as Cloud was. He had done plenty of missions like this before, and this was nothing new to his eyes. He sat in his corner of the truck on top of ammunition boxes thoroughly checking his weapon to make sure everything was working well. He would often cast glances over at Cloud's way, but the blond wouldn't even look at him. Zack on the other hand, was the most energetic. He was standing in the middle of the truck, squatting away with a massive grin on his face.

"Will you sit your ass down already?" Angeal finally said.

"I can't sit down! I'm ready for this!" Zack huffed.

"I just don't want you wasting your energy on squats!"

"Don't worry about it. I just thought I could get some extra squats in so that I can beat you later."

"Ha!" Angeal laughed. "You beat me in squats? In your dreams, kid."

"You ready for this, Cloud?" Zack asked as he squatted down.

"I'm ready," Cloud replied before he sat down and gathered his thoughts.

_I just hope Tifa is okay…and that she's still there._

He prayed to the gods that she was. He didn't know what he would to do if she wasn't there.

_I'm coming for you, Tifa._

_Just hold on…_

He couldn't imagine what she was probably going through.

_If they touch her, I'll rip them to shreds._

"Hey guys! We're gonna be there in a couple of minutes so get ready!" The driver informed.

"All right, men. Let's get in there and get this shit done. So move fast, work together, and keep up. We're gonna be the first team in there," Angeal stood up and equipped his rifle in his hands. "And try not to get killed."

Cloud knew he probably meant that for him, but he shrugged it off. Death was certainly possible during the mission, but death didn't faze him. He wasn't going to die.

And neither was Tifa.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Guns fired.

Voices roared.

Grenades exploded.

Chaos erupted in the battlefield as soon as the trucks of AVALANCHE soldiers approached. The ambush tactic had failed. The slavers were ready for AVALANCHE's attack and had easily conjured up some defense. On the ground, Angeal and the two other fireteams had quickly moved through the exploded gates of Costa Del Sol and made it into the slaver base. There was a large building immediately to their right that contained a bar and several other small stores. Next to it was a large villa, where the slaves were kept and where the buying and selling was done. Food and water stands were scattered around in the front of the stores flipped over and used as cover for the some of the slavers. Across from the two buildings was a one-story hotel, where…well, Cloud wasn't really sure. But it was definitely well secured. Next to the hotel were small, crumbly stone steps to the ghostly, vacant beach.

Cloud could barely hear anything as he fired his rifle from behind a flipped and broken food stand. He watched as his bullets successfully shot through a slaver guarding the hotel. He watched the man's body jerk back and fall to the ground as blood splattered against the door.

"Nice shot!" Zack yelled as he continued to shoot just next to him. "We need to keep advancing to the villa, that's where the slaves are held. Vincent's and Jessie's team will cover us! Just keep moving to the next flipped stand and stay as low as possible!"

Cloud nodded, despite only hearing half of what he said out of the bullet storm and the endless grenades being thrown by Yuffie.

"Where is Angeal?" Cloud shouted as he reloaded his weapon.

"He's outside of the gates takin' care of the guys out front with some of our other guys. He can take care of himself."

_He was a SOLDIER._

_Obviously, he could. _

_As well as you could too._

"Ayyye! Are you guys movin' to the villa?" Barret said as he ran over and took cover with them.

"Yep! You guys ready to move? We gotta go now!"

"Yeah!"

"Fuck yeah!"

"Okay–Go!"

Taking a deep breath, Cloud moved. He moved with quick feet as he snaked his way around to the next stand with Zack and Barret closely following just at his heels. They kept moving until they reached the doors of the villa. They took out two slavers guarding the door with several shots and rammed through the doors. They stood up from their crouched positions and hastily took cover. There weren't as many men inside compared to outside. They probably didn't think any of AVALANCHE soldiers could make it in.

_Well, they were wrong on that._

"Both of you keep moving to the basement. I'll take care of the guys in here. You guys okay with that?" Zack asked as he readied his weapon.

"Yeah, sounds good." He replied as Barret nodded.

"Good. Just wanted to make sure. I didn't want to take all the fun for myself!" Zack smirked.

Cloud shook his head. He wasn't particularly interested in fighting anyone. He just wanted to get in and get Tifa out. Barret probably felt the same way. They weren't soldiers.

"_You assholes ain't gonna get nowhere near them slaves!"_

"_Yeah, those bitches all locked up, fool! Shit, there are only two of you!"_

"Go, go, go!"

Instantly, gunfire went off. He kept his head low and moved quickly with Barret, trying to keep as much cover as he could. He was almost there when suddenly, a slaver got in his way right at the doorway. His gun was aimed at his head, ready to blow it off. Quickly, Cloud aimed his loaded rifle to him and was about to take a shot, when bullets suddenly slammed into his body.

Zack.

The slaver's body slumped against the door lifelessly. Cloud shoved the dead body aside and shot off the metal lock on the basement door. Hurriedly, Cloud and Barret practically ripped the door open and flew down the creaky stairs. They found eight prison cells, similar to the ones the cannibals had except with live bodies in them. Most of the cells were filled with women and others were filled with men and young children. The basement was dark with hardly any light coming from the lights from above. The stench was bad, but not as bad as past cells Cloud had visited. Immediately, he jogged over to the first cell of barely clothed young women.

"Who…who are you?" One of them asked him as he shot off the lock. "What's going on?"

"AVALANCHE. We're here to help," Cloud said with a nod as he opened the gate. "Come on!"

Some of the women fled out while other hesitated, unsure if the blond man, but eventually came out with a little more assurance from him. He watched all of them escape, and unfortunately did not find Tifa. As he moved on to the next cell, Zack suddenly came down to help him out.

_Damn…he's already taken care of everyone upstairs?_

"I'll get the gates with Barret on this side," He said to Cloud. He turned and faced all the imprisoned slaves.

"Alright everyone! We're here to help you out! The villa is completely cleared out of all slavers. Just outside of the villa are two AVALANCHE soldiers that are going to help all of you get out and get you somewhere safe! "

"It's AVALANCHE! See! I told you they'd come!"

"They're gonna save us?"

"Where…where are we going?"

"You're just gonna have to trust us!" Zack exclaimed as he freed another cell.

The three men worked on the cells until all were opened and everyone was freed. Barret was lucky and found his little girl and affectionately held her in his huge arms. However, each cell Cloud looked in, he couldn't find Tifa. He even asked some of the slaves if they've seen or heard of her. But he would get the same response.

'_I'm sorry…'_

Had the slavers sold her already? Did she escape? Was she even here? Is she…is she dead?

_My gods…_

He didn't want to think like that.

She had to be here. She just had to be.

After leaving the villa and making sure everyone was safely escorted out with Jessie, Barret, and Wedge, he went back with Zack to invade the hotel. They took cover as Vincent and Yuffie finished blowing up and clearing out the rest of the scum still lurking around.

"Did you find her?" The mako eyed soldier asked him.

"She wasn't in any of the cells. I asked everyone. No one has seen her…" Cloud growled.

Zack played a sympathetic look on his face. "Don't worry…we still have the hotel to clear out. She might be in there."

_Great. _

_She's with the fucked up business men._

"The inn will be easier to clean up. We took out most of their firepower, so hopefully we'll be taking home some prisoners. Angeal's got everyone on the outside taken out and will be joining back with us."

_Hopefully?_

_If they have Tifa in there, we're not taking anyone prisoner._

_They're gonna be dead._

Minutes later, Angeal arrived and was ready to head into the inn. Yuffie gladly blew off the door and everyone ran inside.

"Whoa, whoa! Hey! Chill, yo!" Reno said as he whipped out his electro rod. The same four armed men Cloud had seen with him before stood in front of him with their weapons drawn while Rude stood uneasily next to him.

"Put the guns down, now!" Angeal's deep voice demanded. He kept his assault rifle steadily aimed at Rude's shiny head. "Or I'm takin' baldy out!"

Rude raised an eyebrow at his statement.

"Where is she?" Cloud yelled.

"Who the fuck ar–ohh…oh _shit_! You're still alive? What the fuck, yo! You are fucking _kidding_ me!"

Cloud was losing his temper and almost pulled the trigger to his gun. "Where the _fuck_ is she? Where did you fucking take her?"

"Looks like someone fucked up your face, yo."

"Damn you!" He said as he shot a man in front of Reno. The other men immediately fired, but were soon taken out by Zack's quick trigger. In a flash, Angeal moved and slammed Rude down onto the floor, causing Reno to stir. Cloud quickly charged and bashed the end of the rifle across his untouched face.

"Oww! Dammit! You fucking broke my nose, yo!" Reno said as he rolled to the floor grabbing his face.

Cloud tossed his rifle over his shoulder and took out his pistol and jammed it into the side of the red head's face.

"I'm gonna break your fucking face next if you don't tell me…"

"Fuck y–"

_WHACK!_

"Gahhh, fuck…who the fuck hits someone in the fucking eye!"

He lashed out and slammed Reno against the wall. His hand grasped his throat and squeezed, in attempt to crush his windpipe.

"Urrrg! Ughhh! Okay! Okay! She–" He coughed and gasped as Cloud squeezed tighter. His hands reached up to try and fight off his grip, but it was useless. Panic filled his light eyes. "She's–gahhh! She's in…upstairs…they…he has her!"

The blond was literally seconds away from choking the man to death, until he ripped his hand away and stepped back. He watched the icy eyed man slump down to the floor, sucking in air and holding his throat. He held his shiny handgun down and leveled it down to Reno's head. Reno slowly looked up and stared at the gun barrel before him. Fear tainted his eyes as he readied himself to accept his fate. Cloud felt his finger wrapping around the trigger and–

He felt a strong hand yank at his shoulder, snapping him out of his haze. It was Zack.

"Hey, hey…come on, man. There's been enough killing done today. We need this guy alive anyways."

He tore himself away from the soldier and crossly turned away. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He didn't want Reno to live. He didn't want anything but Tifa.

_BOOM!_

There was an explosion outside of the inn. Everyone could hear shouts and screams.

"Cloud, hurry your ass up and get the girl! Zack, let's get these assholes out of here! We need to leave now!" Angeal shouted.

Cloud hurried up the steps up to closed bedroom door and shot off the door handle with his pistol. He took down the door with a hard shove and barged inside. A cloud of dust filled the air, temporary concealing two struggling figures. But as it died down…he saw her. He saw her wrapped in a death grip of another man with a gun pointed to the side of her head trying to pull away. She was hardly clothed like the other women prisoners and only in tarnished, black lace lingerie. Her entire body looked filthy with dirt and bruises. Her brown, wine eyes locked with his deep blue ones.

"Don't come any closer!" The man yelled. He was dressed in the same suit as Reno and Rude, though in a much neater fashion. He had long black hair that was slicked back and had a tilak in the middle of his forehead. His tense eyes flickered from Cloud to Tifa as he tried to hold the woman still with his arm around her neck, shoving her into his chest.

"Or I'll blow her pretty head off, and you can take home a headless body!"

Cloud already had his semi-automatic weapon drawn and aimed. "Get away from her."

"Cloud!" She said his name as she tried to pry the man's arm away from her.

"Shut up!" He said and pushed his gun further into her skull.

Cloud cocked his weapon and felt the trigger on his index finger…

The man shoved the brunette in front of him like a shield as he started to pull the trigger...

Cloud watched as Tifa shut her eyes.

_BANG!_

"Ahhhh!"

He watched as the man's arm slid off her shoulders and his body collapse.

Her eyes opened.

Tears formed at her eyes and fell down the curves of her cheeks.

She broke into a sprint for him as the gun dropped from his hand.

He opened his arms, and she crashed into his embrace. Her arms wrapped around his neck as his enveloped her waist. He shut his eyes and felt her sob uncontrollably into his neck, and her body shivering in his arms.

"It's okay…I got you…" He whispered to her as he held her fragile body a little tighter. "It's gonna be okay…"

He opened his ocean eyes, and his countenance darkened.

The man was standing there pointing his pistol directly at them. Dark blood dripped from the side of his face down to the collar and shoulder of his suit. The bullet hadn't killed him, but only sliced the flesh off his cheek.

"I'm getting the girl back."

Cloud quickly turned to shield the woman.

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

"Cloud!"

Two bullets had hit in his back and shoulder while the other missed, but sliced up his side. The pain unbearably stung, but he ignored it. Cloud released Tifa from his arms. He moved in a flash as the man desperately tried to reload his weapon. But he was too slow. Cloud had already tackled him down and knocked the gun from his hands. He slammed hard strikes with his fists into his torn face until he was struck back. The two scrambled up and violently wrestled each other. As Cloud locked the man in his choking grip, Tifa had picked up his pistol. Cloud quickly turned to face her as held the man against him.

"Tifa! Shoot him!" Cloud demanded as he struggled to hold the man.

Tifa shook her head. "I'm _not_ shooting until you move!"

He squeezed his arm to try and choke him, but he had hardly any energy. He could feel the man elbow his wounded side, making him wince in pain.

"Just do it!" He hissed.

She hesitated as the tears continued to fall from her beautiful eyes. Sadness filled them as she looked at him and pointed the gun with both of her hands. The gun shook in her grasp. There was so much shock and terror in her face, like she couldn't believe what she was going to do, and that this was all just a horrible dream of some sort.

"_Shoot_!"

His energy was almost gone. She had to shoot now so that she could safely get to the AVALANCHE soldiers. He didn't care if he was shot in the process. As long as she was safe…that was all that mattered.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter XVI**

_BANG!_

She fired the gun.

It happened in a flash as the bullet plummeted into the suited man's chest first and finally ripped into his. He could feel it, something burning and exploding in his flesh and body. Instantly, his arms released the man who smacked against the floor on his stomach. He could feel his legs wobble as his gloved fingertips touched his bleeding chest. He couldn't feel anything. Everything was suddenly numb and painless. He could feel his face grow paler by the second, and he felt lightheaded. His knees were giving out. He couldn't stand anymore. He could feel himself falling…

And then he felt her. She caught him in her arms and fell down with him to the floor. He looked at her and saw emotions dancing in her visage. Fright. Devastation. Perplexity. She said something to him, but he couldn't understand any of it. He stared at her with a blank look as he tried reading her pale lips. She said it again and shook him slightly.

'_Cloud!'_

She said his name. She was saying his name. He tried to say something back, something he'd always wanted to tell her…but he didn't know if anything came out or not. Her chest heaved and her brows pulled together in sorrow and pain and the hot tears dripped from her red eyes. He fought for energy as he brought up his fingers to brush away her running tears from her cheeks in comfort.

_Don't worry._

_You're safe now._

_They'll take care of you…_

He could feel his head start to droop to the side.

_As long as you're safe and okay…_

His vision started to blur.

_I'm sorry…I'm so sorry I had to put you through this pain…_

She said something to him again, but he could hardly see anything. Everything was going black and fast.

_There's still so much I wanted to tell you…_

He could see a familiar figure come running from behind her with black spiky hair. He felt his hand fall from her face.

_Zack, please, protect her._

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Inhale.

Exhale.

'_Oh my goodness, Doctor, he's waking up!'_

Inhale.

'_What? That's impossible. He can't wake up yet. We need to remove the shattered bullet remains…'_

Movement.

Exhale.

_What's…going on?_

_Where am I?_

'_He's moving!'_

'_It's not time yet! We need to give him the sedative!'_

'_Oh my–_

_BeepBeepBeepBeepBeep_

"Ahhhh…Arrrgg…"

'–_rate is climbing! Not–working!'_

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.

'–_ther sedative! Hurry!'_

_BeepBeepBeep…BeepBeep…Beep…_

'_Thank the gods…he's stable…'_

He tried to blink his eyes open…but it was too bright…

'_Cloud…'_

A woman said his name. She saw him peer over him and looked down at him with her warm eyes. Her face was hazy in his vision and too mixed with white light.

'Don't move…'

He felt something cold run through his veins and body. The darkness enclosed around him…

'_Just hold on, Cloud. Just hold on…'_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Urgggg…" Cloud groaned.

_Those damn lights again…_

His eyes opened to the same blurry vision into whiteness. It was burning his eyes.

_I'm dead._

_I'm really dead._

His vision began to clear.

_Or…am I?_

He could see the metal pipes that ran across the ceiling. Lights flashed around him from machines that monitored something. He could hear the soft beats in rhythm with his heart and one with his breathing. He was breathing loudly into something that was on his face…some kind of breathing mask. He was covered in a white blanket and was lying on top of a hospital bed. He tried to move, but he couldn't. His body felt cold and limp, and there was no energy in him. But he felt something warm in his hand. He gave a small squeeze and felt someone else's hand. Suddenly, energy seemed to flow through him.

He lifted up his other arm, all bruised, bare and stuck with needles, to take off the icy mask. His hands shook as they fumbled as they took it off. He gasped for air and let his arm fall to his side in exhaustion as he took a moment to settle himself down. The blond looked down at his right side. A mass of dark brown hair had flooded the white sheets and covered her bruised face. She was sitting in a pulled up chair next to him, asleep on his side. She was dressed in a black sweater that was too big and fell off her shoulder. She looked terrible. Her radiant, smooth skin had lost its glow and was still a little bruised and cut up. Dark circles were traced underneath her eyes, indicating many sleepless nights. This was probably the first time she had slept in days. He had wanted to wake her and let her know she was all right, but she needed sleep. He was about to settle back when he felt her stir and wake. She combed back her tangled hair, and her eyes opened.

"…Cloud?"

He gave a weak smile.

"T…Tifa."

_I am…alive…_

"Oh gods…you're…you're alive…" Tifa said as she happily threw her arms around him. He slowly wrapped his arm around her to embrace her back and buried his face into her hair.

"I'm back," He said.

"Please…please don't ever make me do something like that again…please don't." She mumbled into his neck.

"I'm sorry…"

"Promise me…please promise me…"

"I promise..."

She held him a little tighter. He could hear her voice crack with emotion.

"I–I was so worried…"

She pulled back.

"But, I knew you would come back…are you…all right?"

"I'm all right. But what about you? Have you been getting any medical attention?"

"I'm fine, I promise. Aerith already help me out."

Cloud looked away from her.

"I'm sorry I let them take you…"

Tifa shook her head. "It wasn't your fault. Besides, you saved me."

"But they _took_ you…and…and…" He winced. He didn't want to think about what they might have done to her…it made his blood boil.

"Cloud…it's okay…"

"No! It's not okay! Those men…the way they dressed you and all those women…"

They both said nothing for a moment.

"What…what happened?" Cloud asked, unsure if he should bring it up or not.

She was silent for a second as she ran her fingers through her long hair to pull away pieces from her face.

"After they took me, the slavers went out and took other women and children. The truck I was in didn't get back until late that night, and everyone was scared. When we got to Costa Del Sol, the children were immediately separated and practically beaten to death to their cells in the villa. Then…then they came back for the women. They made us change out our clothes and then they divided us. Some of the women and I went to the basement, while some of the men…took some of the others."

She sighed in frustration. "There was screaming and crying all night…it was so…so horrible. Everyone was freezing and praying to the gods the slavers wouldn't come down and take them for their own sick pleasure. No one would sleep…because…you just wouldn't know. I tried to escape…but none of the women would try to help me. They were too scared. I was caught, unfortunately, trying to pick off the lock from the cell I was in and got a few bruise marks and cuts. I fought back…but…"

She cleared her throat. "They knocked me out…and…and they tried to…to _use_ me. But…that suited man with the long hair came…his name was Tseng, I think. He took me away from the cells and said that I was to be delivered to ShinRa himself, like I was some sort of package. Since then, I had to stay at the inn. I never got any food or anything. I don't think anyone did. I was supposed to be flown over to headquarters the day you guys came. They 'dressed' me up and everything…thank goodness you guys came when you did."

"What happened after we came? I mean, I remember getting shot a couple of times…and Tseng…"

"After…everything happened, you were unconscious. Zack came back after dealing with some the returning slavers that came back. He got us out, and we right away left for the base. Angeal, and some of the other soldiers stayed back. We took you to the medical station, and Aerith immediately got you into surgery."

He looked down at his chest to see white bandage tape over it and on his side and arm, all already getting stained with redness.

"You were in surgery all day and night. Aerith said that sometimes you came in and out of consciousness during surgery, but she said that you were going to be all right."

"How long have I been out for?" Cloud asked her.

"About a week."

_Damn!_

"A _week_? I was out for a week?"

She nodded. "Yes…you were very weak and barely alive when you went into surgery."

"How long do I have to stay here?"

"Cloud, you've been shot _three_ times. It's probably going to take a little bit before you can get back on your feet again."

He sighed. He knew she was right. He knew he still had to travel to Fort Condor, but at the state he was in there was just no way. He needed to heal up before he started to travel or else it could mean death for him out in the wasteland.

"Have you seen Fenrir?"

"Yes! I saw Rude shoot him before he left…It was awful…but I'm so happy to see him alive and well. His wound is still healing up a bit, but he'll be okay. He's been up and wandering around the bunker lately and has become quite popular around here," Tifa told him with a smile. "Zack has been taking good care of him."

"That's good to hear. Tifa…" He said. "I–"

The blond suddenly groaned in pain. His medication was wearing off…and the soreness was kicking in.

"Ughhh…damn…it hurts so bad…" He growled.

"Here, let me get the doctor," Tifa said.

"It's all right I'm already here," Aerith said as she approached from the doorway. "Is it pretty bad?"

Tifa moved to the side to let Aerith examine the wounded man.

"Yeah…yeah it's definitely pretty bad." He answered her.

"It's time for your next dosage then," The woman turned to Tifa. "Miss Lockhart, you need to get some rest now. Mister Strife will be fine and will need all the rest he can get to heal up."

Cloud could see Tifa's jaw tightened. She had that look on her face, like she was ready to throw a fit at the doctor. All she wanted to do was just stay with him. He wouldn't mind it either. Her presence made him feel better and comforted. But then again, she looked like she needed to rest up and sleep. She had been through so much already.

"Don't worry, I'll let you see him again…It's okay. I need to do another checkup on you anyways."

She nodded and quietly left.

"Is she going to be all right?" Cloud asked as he watched her tiny, gloved fingers flick at the needle of the filled syringe.

"Yes. It's just she hasn't been eating or resting a lot like she should be. She's been so worried about you that she hasn't taken the time to heal herself up," Aerith replied as she quickly injected the clear fluid into him. He winced as he felt the odd sensation if the needle. "When Zack brought the two of you in here, she could hardly speak. I tried to ask her what happened before and after the surgery, but she was still speechless and very pale. She refused to do anything but sit by your side. About three days after your surgery, Zack and I were able to pull her away for a second to get her fixed up and give her some food and water."

He could feel the numbness slowly taking over his tired and worn body. All his energy was used on Tifa, and he could feel slumber starting to fall upon him again.

"I didn't think…I was gonna make it," He told the emerald eyed woman. "I thought I was dead."

"But you did. You fought through death. You're alive to see Tifa and Fenrir again and for a chance to get to Fort Condor."

"Yeah…" He murmured.

"Just keep fighting, Mister Strife. Sleep well."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter XVII**

Two weeks had passed since his surgery. Cloud's body was feeling much better, and his wounds were healing quickly. Aerith was surprised by the speed of his recovery compared to her normal patients. Typically, it would of taken four to six weeks to regain strength and for the body to heal. Cloud could tell in her face that she was sort of concerned about his rapid healing pace, despite the events of his childhood past and genetics. However, compared to Zack and Angeal, both who barely had a scratch on their bodies, his healing process was much slower. But to Cloud, it didn't matter what she would say, or what her concerns were. He was going to get out and get some sunlight…and least try and find a way to get to Fort Condor, since apparently it was on another continent.

He sighed at the thought as he sat on the edge of his white bed, rubbing his bruised arms. They were slightly discolored from all of the needles that pierced his veins and skin. His shoulder and side had completely healed, but the scars were still new and tender. But his chest and back were still wrapped in bandages, still healing and just a little sore. He balled his right hand into a fist and flexed his arm to get the blood flowing. He could feel the soreness in his shoulder and, hell, in his whole right side. He frowned in unsatisfactory. But this wasn't going to stop him.

Suddenly he could hear the metal doors open to his room. His mako eyes flickered over to see Tifa and Fenrir walking in with his cleaned dark gray thermal.

"Hey boy," Cloud said with a small smile. He reached down and ran his fingers through the excited and joyful dog. He happily leaned into the comforting scratches and wagged his tail uncontrollably. Fenrir was definitely looking healthy and alive since his operation. He had scarring on his flank, but most of it was getting covered by his dark fur coat.

"He's always so excited to see you," Tifa laughed. "I could hardly control him when we got to the med station."

She reached out to hand over his thermal. He took it and gazed at her with a strange look flickering in his eyes. She was dressed in a black tank top and dark gray jeans with her black boots. Her rich hair was cleaned and brushed out and looking much better and healthy. Her skin and body was back to its stunning, glowing self and purple bags no longer hung below her brown eyes.

"Thanks," He said and pulled the sweater over his strong, built frame.

Her smile dropped a little, and she tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong?"

"So…" He scratched the back of his head in uneasiness. His eyes drifted away from her.

Tifa patiently waited.

"Is…is this it?"

Her face fell in confusion, and she shook her head. "I don't know what you mean…"

"I mean, I have to leave again. I have to go to Fort Condor."

"_What_?"

"Reeve isn't here…" He sighed out.

"He's not here? Well…where the heck is he? I thought he'd be with AVALANCHE?"

"He's still with AVALANCHE, just not at _this_ AVALANCHE base."

"Okay…then what base is he at?" The brunette asked.

"Fort Condor."

"Where is that at?"

"On the west continent."

"_Wow_…" She sat down next to him.

He looked down at his feet, where Fenrir had settled. "You said you wanted to settle here when we got here."

She said nothing for a moment as she recalled her statement.

"Yeah. I did. It's safe here, and there's plenty of food and water."

"Yeah…"

She was right. It was safe here and a great place for her to stay. Zack and Aerith were here, Yuffie, Vincent, Angeal…everyone one of them were their friends now. There were newly built apartments available for her to stay and enough water to even take showers and wash clothes. She wouldn't have to scavenge around to look for food. There was everything for her right here. Except…except…

_Except I couldn't…be there for her…_

"But I'm still coming with you."

He looked at her. "But it's so safe–"

"That doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is _you…_and_ your _safety." She said firmly. "You need someone to be there with you…because you're definitely prone to disaster. I mean, I saved you _twice_ already."

Cloud smiled. "I think we're now even."

She smiled back and lightly touched his hand. "I think so…and I'm guess you're ready to leave?"

"Yeah…I don't think I can stand another minute stuck inside this place."

"Well…" Tifa folded her arms across her chest and gave him the same look Aerith gave him. Concern.

"I'm gonna be all right…" He said. "I'm all healed up."

_Well, mostly._

"You know, Aerith really wants you here for like another week."

He rolled his eyes. "I know, I know…but I just…I don't like being here in this place. It reminds me too much of a bad experience. Besides, while we're out there you'll be there to carry me if I pass out."

She gave him a little shove before getting back on her feet. "I guess we gotta get packed up. Can you stand? Because if you can't, I'm definitely _not_ carrying you."

Cloud ran his hand through his feathery hair before standing up. It took him a second, but he was up. He put on his black gloves and stretched out his back and arms.

"We should probably tell the doctor that you'll be checking out, hm?" Tifa said as she followed Fenrir to the door.

"I guess so," He replied and followed her out.

The three slowly roamed around the hospital until they found Aerith in the waiting room, knelt down in front of a little girl with Barret closely next to her. She was examining her with her stethoscope while playing a gentle smile.

"She's in excellent health and looks much, much better!" She said with a soft voice.

"I been takin' care of Marlene a lot since I got 'er," Barret stated.

"Well, you've done a wonderful job, Mister Wallace," She said. "How about you, Miss Wallace…do you feel better? Nothing hurts or anything, correct?"

"I'm feeling much better. Thank you, Doctor Aerith," The girl replied and gave her a toothy smile.

Barret's dark eyes fell on Cloud and Tifa. "Hey…" He mumbled.

"Oh! Mister Strife!" Aerith stood up and trotted over and gave him that face again. "What are you doing up?"

"Uh…just ready to check out." He said.

"Tifa!" Marlene exclaimed as she hopped up and ran to her.

"Hey!" Tifa said and knelt down as the two embraced.

"I didn't know you had a dog!" The little girl said as she pet the welcoming German shepherd.

"Mister Strife, as your doctor, I highly advise you to rest up for another week before you leave…"

Cloud shook his head. "I feel fine, and I want to start heading out."

"Don't worry, Aerith. I'll take care of him. Just give us some medicine and clean wraps, and we'll be fine." Tifa said.

Aerith gave a strong look of disapproval. She sighed and shrugged. "I guess there's no stopping the both of you…just come with me to my office and I'll get you some supplies."

Cloud was about to follow the two women until he felt a large hand grasp his shoulder. He turned to see Barret.

"I, uh…hey…" He murmured. "I jus'…wanted to thank you…"

"For what?" The blond asked.

"For helpin' me save my little girl. If it wasn't for you, I don' think I wouldda got 'er back." The gunman said as he placed his hand on the small girl's head. She smiled up at Cloud.

"Yep! Thank you, Mister Cloud! Tifa helped me out too. She protected me from those bad men. She was really nice."

"So you gonna be headin' back out?" Barret questioned.

"Yeah. All the way to Fort Condor."

"Damn. It's gonna be a long ass way, but I heard that it's damn well worth the travel. Heard it was a lot better than this place. Lot more advanced."

_That's good to hear._

"Yeah, I need to go to Rocket Town though to get there. Have any idea how to get to Rocket?" Cloud asked the man.

"Nah, I dunno. But I'm sure one of them soldiers should know. Like Zack or somethin'."

"Thanks, I was just curious," Cloud nodded as he turned around to leave.

"Hey!" Barret called out. The archer turned. "Good luck!"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"The only way getting to Fort Condor is going to a man named Cid Highwind. He lives in Rocket Town just past the mountains," Zack reminded as he handed Cloud his knives and bow back. "Currently, the only way to get there is through the caverns just northwest of here. There was a bridge we built that went through the mountains straight to Rocket Town, but it's taken some damage and is being repaired. Here, take your pistol for extra protection."

"All right. So just take the caverns," Cloud restated as he equipped his bow on his back and took the pistol and hooked it around his belt. Aerith, Yuffie, Zack, and Vincent all glanced at each other with grim faces as they waited for their new friends next to the bunker stairway to get ready.

"It's not gonna be that easy…" Vincent said as he awkwardly shifted his weight to his left leg.

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked.

"Uhhh, what he means is that there are like, ridiculously horrendous, scary fiends there that rip people apart," Yuffie said with obnoxious hand motions. Cloud gave her a tired look.

_Great…just what we needed…_

_Disaster. _

Vincent roughly shoved her and nearly knocked her down. "Hey! I was just–"

"Look, just be on your guard. What Yuffie said is not entirely true," Zack flashed the young woman a frown. "I'm sure with both, I mean, the three of you working together, you guys will be fine. Just move quickly."

"It's all right. We'll be fine." The dark haired woman assured.

"We know you will. We have faith in all of you," Aerith smiled.

With a final nod, the three said goodbye and thanked everyone before ascended up the stairs into the blazing new light.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The cavern was not too far away from the base and was obviously quite easy to find. The cave entrance was wide, dark and rocky. Fenrir sniffed around the glittering rocks around the entrance. His nose twitched as the smell of various scents filled his nostrils. The hair on his back spiked and a lurid growl rumbled in his throat.

"That's not a good sign…" Tifa sighed as she looked over at Cloud. "What are we gonna do?"

"What do you mean 'what are we gonna do'? We're gonna go through."

"But it's so…" Tifa placed a hand on her hip. "I don't know…it looks dangerous. Maybe Yuffie was right about those fiends…"

Cloud shrugged. "We can take them. Besides, there's no other way to get to Rocket Town...unless you're willing to climb huge mountains."

"All right…let's just make it quick I guess."

Cloud walked passed her and Fenrir and squint his eyes to look down the massive cave. He placed a hand over his eyes to shield them from the gray light.

"I think I see something…" He said.

The brunette jogged up next to him. "What is it?"

"There…" He pointed with his other hand.

"Cloud…I don't see anything…"

"No, no…look...in the middle there. Do you see it?"

"Oh…it's…it's a tiny speck of…light?" Tifa asked as she looked back at the mako eyed man.

There was, in fact, light. Or at least what looked like light. Something was shining brightly within the darkness of the cave. Maybe it was a straight shot through, and on the other side was going to be Rocket Town. Cloud didn't know, but there was only one way to find out. Going through.

_And hopefully not run into anything…_

"You think that could be the other side?" Tifa asked.

"Hopefully...maybe the cave isn't that long. Come on," Cloud motioned forward with a nod. "It looks pretty dark so…just…um…hold on to me or something….because, you know, I might pass out or something."

Tifa chuckled and wrapped her arm securely around his bicep.

"Lead on," She said.

The two entered the mouth of the cave and went into the darkness. Fenrir had his head low to the ground and his ears pinned back to his skull. His animal instinct told him that something wasn't right about the cavern, but there was nothing the dog could do but follow his owner into the abyss.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter XVIII**

Cloud lead blindly through the cave. He stayed around the walls and used his hand to feel around as he took careful steps further into the cave. He could feel the cold and hard stones that formed the cave but no other opening or other passages. All he could do was push forward to the growing neon light ahead of them. Tifa strictly hung next to him, close and refusing to let go. Cloud couldn't see Fenrir, but he could hear the dog's claws clicking loudly against the floor and his continuous growls. The man picked up his pace when a foreboding feeling struck his stomach. Sweat started to drip down his face as their footsteps echoed around them in the still cave. They needed to move quickly and get out fast.

"It's so cold and so dark…" Tifa said as she pulled at her coat.

"Yeah…" Cloud replied, half listening to her and half listening for anything in the cave.

"I wonder where the fiends are…" The woman lowly muttered.

_SsSSSSSssss…_

The noise was fainted, but Cloud could definitely hear it. He immediately stopped and whispered to Tifa.

"Did you hear that?"

She listened.

Nothing.

"No…"

_Something is here…_

"Let's keep going."

They traveled further to the glowing green light. Slowly, their vision came back and they could clearly see ahead and the glittering stones around them. The light was emitting from a large green stone that was formed around a crystal alter in the middle of a cave opening. The stone was absolutely lovely and dazzled with value.

"Cloud…look…" Tifa said, fascinated by the object. She released him from her grip and trekked over to the crystals. Cloud followed her and peered over her shoulder at the stone.

"I wonder what it is…" She said. "It definitely looks valuable."

"I think it's something called materia," Cloud questionably studied it. "I remember Reeve talking about it before."

"Is it valuable?"

"Yeah…I mean, I think so."

Tifa gave him a long look.

"Wait, wait…we're seriously not gonna take this thing, right."

"Why not? It'll just be sitting here in a creepy cave. No one else will be coming through here to take it, so why not us?"

Cloud's countenance twisted in disagreement. "Yeah, but I don't know. I mean I'm sure other people have seen the light coming from this cave before the bridge was built. Why hasn't anyone taken it? Why hasn't AVALANCHE taken it?"

"Good point but…h–hey, was it …uh, raining outside?" Tifa suddenly asked as she looked at him. Something was dripping on her shoulder.

He cocked his head in confusion. "No…I mean, the last time we were outside it wasn't. I don't–" Cloud stopped. His mako eyes were watching the stone. There was a small reflection on it and there was…a large serpent…

_Oh shit…_

The giant snake was hovering above their heads with its deadly jaws open and fangs drawn. Its slimy, forked tongue flickered out, tasting their scents and smell. The snake had a deep yellow color from the tip of its nose and down through his hood and belly. From its head down to its tail were dark gray and green colored scales that shimmered against the light.

"Wh–" Cloud grabbed Tifa's shoulder to prevent her from turning around and to shut her up. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he grabbed his gun. He could feel Tifa tense up in front of him.

"Run…_run_!"

_HISSSS!_

Quickly, he shoved her hard to the side and twisted himself around to take shots.

_BANG! BANG!_

He missed. The snake had easily dodged all his shots. It lurched forward to take a snap at him. Cloud fell back against the crystal alter as the snake took its strike, dropping his gun in the process. The fangs came at him, but Cloud managed to ram his foot into the mouth of the serpent. It hissed back, annoyed by his actions and continued to try and jam its prickly fangs into him. The warrior struggled against the creature as his feet held the snake's jaws apart and away from him. Its long body and tail whipped violently around, knocking some of the stalactites off the ceiling. Cloud desperately reached for his combat knife, until suddenly the snake recoiled back and roared in pain.

Fenrir had lunged and managed to get a grip on the snake's throat. His black claws dug into the scales to hold himself as the serpent swung its body around in panic. As Cloud tried to pull himself up, the snake's tail thrashed him on his side and slammed his body against the cavern wall. It knocked the wind out him, leaving him in massive pain and gasping for air. The snake continued to aggressively jerk around until its head finally shook off the dog, but soon found Tifa's knife shoved up its lower jaw. Again, the creature started its crashing movement, but both Tifa and Fenrir had surreptitiously and effortlessly dodged it and the falling rocks and stones.

_BARK! BARK! BARK!_

"Cloud! Cloud, get the gun!" The brunette shouted. She stood helplessly against the cold wall, unable to reach the pistol without getting hit by the rampaging serpent.

Cloud held his chest as he crawled on his stomach to the lone gun. He managed to get it, but suddenly the snake struck. Its head came crashing down and–

_BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!_

The snake's bloody head fell lifelessly next to him, just inches away from crushing him. Cloud groaned out a loudly as he rolled over on his back. His chest and back was killing him. Everything suddenly felt so sore again.

"Tifa…ugh…I think…I think I was pretty serious about you carrying me…that damn thing almost broke all of my freaking bones…" Cloud uttered out. She came rushing over with Fenrir at her side.

"No, no it's fine. I'm gonna help you up, okay?" She knelt down next to him and wrapped his arms around her neck. She took most of his weight and slowly brought him up to his feet. She leaned his body against the crystals, and his hand instantly went back to hold his throbbing chest.

"Are your wounds okay?" She asked as she lightly touched his shoulder.

"Ahhh…yeah, it's fine…just grab your knife and let's get the hell out of here. And maybe stop somewhere and take some hard meds," He coughed out.

_Gods…I can hardly breathe_

Tifa nodded and turned to the dead serpent. A pool of thick blood had already formed around its massive head. Bullet holes decorated its face as its single yellow crescent eye stared into nothingness. Its other eye was filled with a single bullet and dripping red blood. She awkwardly lifted its diamond head with all her strength and quickly ripped her knife out. Its head plopped back to the floor, splashing back into its puddle of fresh blood.

"Well…I guess we know why the materia is here…and why no one took it," She commented before wrapping Cloud's arm around her neck again. She held his arm and wrapped her arm tightly around his waist. "You ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go," He said as he tried not to lean into her too much. "Just follow Fenrir."

She nodded and slowly started to follow the leading dog.

"We'll stop once we find a town. Hopefully, it won't be too far away," She said.

"Hopefully this cave won't be too long…"

"I told you we should have stayed a little longer at the hospital!"

"Oh come on, we wouldn't be having this much fun back at North Corel. You couldn't kill gigantic snakes at hospitals."

Tifa laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Hopefully that guy didn't have any friends with him."

_Yeah._

_Let's definitely hope not._

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

It took them an hour to get out of cave and another painful two hours until they reached the next settlement. The place was small, but the three managed to find an inn to rest at. Cloud's chest was hurting pretty badly and the wound had split open. He could feel the blood oozing out of it and staining his bandages wrapped around his chest. His side was aching in soreness, and his back was protesting as well. He could feel his body grow cold and his face pale. He felt bad for Tifa since she had to haul his massive body for three hours. He'd offer to get up and walk himself, but Tifa wouldn't even loosen her grip. But she didn't look tired when they checked in their room. She was just calm and assuring. Quickly, Tifa brought him down onto the bed and removed his gear and coat.

"All right I'm gonna have to look at your wounds, okay?" The woman said as she brought out the medical kit Aerith had given her. He nodded in response and took off his thermal and took some pain medication. The bandages on his chest were moist with blood, and she carefully took off the wraps. Less than half of the gunshot wound was open and thankfully, with minimal bleeding.

"Well, looks like we're gonna be stuck in the room for the rest of the day."

_Great…_

"How's it look?"

"Not too bad. There's just some bleeding and a small opening, but it should be good. Everywhere else is good, right? No broken bones?" She asked as she cleaned up his side and wrapped it.

_Almost._

"Nope, just some killer back pain." He said as he pulled back on his thermal and coat.

"Just lie down and get some rest."

Cloud reluctantly obeyed and settled himself down on the plain mattress. He sighed and shut his eyes and soon found himself fast asleep.

But it only seemed like it seconds later when he awoke. Late afternoon had already turned to nightfall, and black darkness had taken over. He was lying on his side facing the sleeping beauty in front of him as Fenrir slept languidly at his feet. She was huddled in her black double breasted jacket, looking rather cold. Her wine eyes were shut closed in deep slumber as her chest slowly rose up and down in a steady pattern. He wanted to move closer to the woman to warm her, but he didn't want to stir her out of her much needed sleep. Instead, his ocean blue eyes continued to watch her enthralling and soundless form. He didn't know what it was…but there was just something about her that made him feel so different. Just her…and only her.

Suddenly, her eyelashes lifted and revealed her dark eyes. They were looking at each other with a strong gaze…a different gaze. Her pink, plush lips moved.

"Do you trust me?" Her soft voice faintly asked.

_You don't have to ask…_

"I trust you," He told her. His eyes were locked into hers and never moving.

She fell quiet for a moment, soaking in his answer and waiting for the right moment to ask her real question. The question she really meant to ask.

"Do you love me?"

_You never have to ask…_

He grew quiet. His heart ached at her question. It was at this moment he knew…he knew he had to tell her. The answer had long ago been written down inside of this his heart with the most permanent ink. He could deny the answer no longer. It was time to become a man and face his true feelings instead of running away from them.

He brought his hand up to her chin and pulled her close and their lips met. It was a long kiss full of passion and of untold feelings. Her lips were warm and soft and fitted perfectly against his…so sweet and so lush. As their lips parted from each other's he wrapped his warm arms around her and pulled her in close. She snuggled against his chest, and he rested his chin comfortably on the top of her head. Her cold shivers soon left her body as the warmth surrounded them. She settled in her rhythmic breathing pattern, and her body relaxed in his tender embrace.

"I love you," He firmly said with all of his heart.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter XIX**

"Rocket Town," Cloud huffed out in relief, his breath visible in the cold, afternoon air. His hands grasped his knees as his body bend down. He lifted up his head to see the town in his sites again. He could see Fenrir still wondering ahead, with his nose focused on the various scents that littered the ground leading up to the large town ahead. He could see sturdy built stores and homes and a large, moldy rocket launch pad sticking out from the behind. They were close, and all they needed to do was find a man named Cid Highwind. Cloud sighed and looked back down at the grassy dirt mixture at his feet. He was tired of constantly finding people.

_Let's hope it won't be a pain finding this guy…_

He felt Tifa's touch at his shoulder.

"You all right? Do you need me to carry you again?" She asked as she fixed her brown eyes on him. She slowly brought him back into an upright position and held onto him.

"No, I'm fine…I can make it," He said. The brunette nodded in response, but still held her grasp. As he pressed on, she walked with him and moved in closer to him, spreading comforting warmth to the side of his body.

"So what is this Cid guy supposed to do? How is he gonna take us to Fort Condor?" Tifa asked the blond.

"Well, he's supposed to have an old airship to fly us over."

"An _airship_?"

_That's what I heard._

"Yeah."

"Wow…so it survived the war?"

"I better have. Or else I'm marching right back to Zack to kick his ass," Cloud muttered as the two entered the town. The atmosphere was peaceful with only a few other travels wondering around to the countless stores and inns. No soldiers. No cannibals. No slavers. Nothing but determined travelers and bargaining, welcoming storeowners. That was always a good sign to see.

Tifa chuckled at his statement. "I don't think Aerith would approve of that."

"We just won't tell her," Cloud said as his glowing eyes browsed around.

"So where does this Cid guy live?"

"Uhhhh…" Cloud continued to look around in puzzlement.

"Oh! Uh, excuse me…mister and miss?" A feminine voice asked from behind the two.

They turned and faced a saw a petite woman. She had short light brown hair that was pulled up into a ponytail with bangs that swept across her forehead. Her hazel eyes were enlarged in her square bifocals that sat lowly on the bridge of her pointed nose. She wore a white lab coat over her dark green turtleneck and her khaki pants. She had two tin cans of tea cradled in her right arm. She flashed them a peachy smile.

"Hi," Tifa greeted with a nod as Cloud chose to remain silent.

"I…um, couldn't help but overhear you guys talk about a man named Cid Highwind? Are you looking for him?" She asked.

"Yes, actually we were," Tifa said as Fenrir casually returned to Cloud's side.

"May I ask what business you have with him?"

Cloud grunted. "We rather discuss our business with Cid…"

He felt Tifa squeeze his arm, and the woman's smile fell a little.

"Oh…" She cleared her throat and adjusted her eyeglasses. "Well, his business is also _my_ business. Cid Highwind is my husband."

_Whoops._

She continued. "So what business do you have with him? Are you both from AVALANCHE?"

"Yes," The two responded.

"Ahh…" The woman nodded and held out her hand, which Tifa took. "My name is Shera Highwind. I can take you three right over to him. Please, follow me."

Silently, the trio followed Shera until they reached the large house all the way in the back of the town. It looked like it was built from sturdy metal and from good wood. They approached the wooden door to the home, and Shera stopped and turned her head over her shoulder.

"I must warn you, that Cid can be sort of…uncouth…please excuse him. He doesn't really mean what he says…"

Tifa shot Cloud a look. He shrugged.

As Shera reached for the doorknob, the door suddenly was ripped opened. Shera fell back as a man shoved a double barreled shotgun in their faces. He had blond hair that was combed back and had a closely cropped beard. He wore brown flight goggles over his eyes and had a half burnt cigarette wedged in between his gritting teeth. He had on a blue, oil stained shirt with a red flannel shirt tied around his waist over his green cargo pants. His leather gloved finger flicked at the trigger.

"SHERA! WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU? WHO THE HELL ARE THEY?"

_I'm getting real tired of having guns pointed to my face…_

Cloud quickly shoved Tifa behind him as Fenrir started to growl loudly. Shera, however, seemed calm and cheery.

"Hi honey! I was out getting you some tea. Would you like me to make you some? And these folks here are from AVALANCHE. They're here to see you, Cid."

"Ehhh?" Cid grunted and muttered something under his breath before withdrawing his gun to his side. He removed his goggles from his face and slid them up on his forehead. "Goddammit Shera…all right, all right, go inside and make the damn tea!"

Shera's face fell a little again, but she managed to shake it off and obediently made her way inside. The dog tags Cid wore around his neck jingled as he watched his wife enter in the house.

_Damn…and they're married?_

_How do you marry a man like that?_

His light blue eyes then glared back at the blond.

"What the hell do _you_ want?" His rough voice questioned as he motioned to them with his shotgun.

"Fort Condor. We want to go to Fort Condor, and we heard that you were the only man that could get us there," Cloud stated flatly. "We just came from North Corel."

"Who the hell sent you to me?"

"Zack Fair."

The gentleman groaned loudly as he grasped the small cigarette with his index and middle finger and flicked the burnt edges off with his thumb. "Dammit…I need to turn that damn AVALANCHE radio on…all right, look, get your asses inside and get some damn tea."

He looked down at the black German shepherd, who stared blankly back with amber eyes.

"Does that thing drink tea?"

Cloud raised an eyebrow.

_What?_

Cloud gave the man a curious look and was slightly caught off guard by his random question. He wondered if this man could really get them over to the west continent. He could feel Tifa peering curiously over his shoulder as well.

"Fuck, man! Don't give me that look! I had one of those damn things once, and he drank tea! So does he or not?"

Cloud shrugged. "Sure."

Cid looked back down at Fenrir. "Well then he's welcomed to come in then. And loosen up there, son. I'm not gonna kill you or your woman," He whipped around in his dirty, thick brown boots and marched inside. "SHERA! IS THAT DAMN TEA READY? WE NEED THREE FREAKIN' CUPS AND SOME IN THAT OLD DOG DISH!"

_Zack was definitely right about Cid…_

Fenrir gladly trotted inside the home after the man. Cloud hesitated, trying to decide in his head whether or not to leave this crazy man and find someone else to take them, but the decision was quickly made as Tifa shoved him forward and inside of the Highwind home. They sat at the circular table in the middle of the comfy kitchen with Cid. Shera had her back facing them as she scurried around at the stove making tea and crumpets. The sweet scents seemed to lure Fenrir to her side in hunger.

"So you two numbskulls wanna go to Fort Condor…" Cid said as he jammed his cigarette stud into the ashtray and kicked up his feet on the table. "Everybody wants to go there…"

"Yeah…so I hear…" Cloud said as he leaned back into the chair.

"But what makes you sooo damn special that I gotta take my baby out just to take you there, eh? What's your name, kid?"

"Cloud Strife."

Cid flicked his index finger at Tifa. "That your wife?"

Cloud blinked.

_My wife?_

"I'm Tifa Lockhart…and we're not married." She said with blushing cheeks. "We're just…um…"

"Yeah, yeah. Y'all are lovebirds, all right. I was jus' curious–Where the–SHERA!"

"It's right here, the tea," The woman said as she placed the tray of tea, mugs, sugar cubes, and crumpets on the table. She delicately filled all the mugs and distributed them amongst the three. She then poured some in a dog bowl for Fenrir and feed him some cakes.

"Hmm…Cloud…why does that sound like a familiar name?" Shera pondered aloud as she returned to her place in front of the stove.

"Well, Cloud is looking for his uncle, Reeve, who is said to be at Fort Condor," Tifa declared.

"Reeve, eh?" Cid placed two sugar cubes in his tea and took a long sip. "Well…I'll be damned. I never knew Reeve had a nephew." The man took a large bite out of his crumpet. "Have you ever been on an airship before, son? Ma'am?"

"Nope."

Cloud shook his head.

"Y'all don't have motion sickness or anything, right?…Y'all not afraid of heights?"

"Nope and no."

"Not that I know of…and no."

"Well then…this is gonna be the damn ride of your lives, lovebirds." Cid grinned and stood up from the table with the mug still in his hand. He strode over towards one of the white kitchen cabinets and took out a cigarette box. He took out a fresh cigarette and shoved the small white box into the side of his goggles. He turned around to face his guests as placed the cigarette in his mouth and took out a lighter from his pocket. His thumb flicked on the flame that lit his cig. Cloud could hear the tobacco product burn as Cid sucked in the toxic smoke.

"Drink up your tea, you two, 'cause it's time to fly."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

After finishing up the tea and crumpets, Cloud, Tifa, and Fenrir followed the old pilot to his underground bunker just below the home. It was built in a similar style like the bunkers at North Corel, just without the people and slightly cleaner. They followed him down the tunnel to a large, dark room.

"Now this thing here…" Cid said with his finger on a light switch. He flipped it on and a flicker of lights went on across the enormous room, lighting up the beautiful airship. It was made with only the finest materials and excellently shined. The metallic silver glittered under the bright florescent lights. "This…this is my Shera!"

"Wow…it's beautiful," Tifa said as she gazed up on the marvel.

"Yeahhh, she's a beaut. Named her after the wife." Cid flicked on another switch. The room began to rumble. "Don't shit your pants or nothin'…I'm just openin' the top up so we can get this baby flyin'."

The ceiling suddenly split open and the brightness of outside blinded them. Small amounts of dirt and dust fell in, and suddenly the ground everyone was standing on started to lift. They were lifted up to ground level, just behind Cid's house.

"All right. Let's head inside! Just DON'T TOUCH anything, got it, lovebirds? Oh and make sure that damn dog don't piss on anything…"

_Whatever happened to our names?_

_We are not lovebirds…_

…

_Well…_

"Don't worry about Fenrir, he'll be fine," Cloud said as he followed Cid up the metal latter into the ship. Fenrir and Tifa followed closely behind.

They entered in the engine room and made their way into the open cockpit.

"Did you build all of this?" Cloud asked as he stood in front of the open window view.

"I sure as hell did, kid," Cid replied and stood next to him with his hands on his hips. They looked out through the window at the empty rocket launch site that looked destroyed and rusted out.

"What happened out there?" The young blond asked as Tifa floated to his side.

"Ehhhh…" Cid scratched the back of his neck as the memory came back. His gruff face twisted in a painful expression. "It's a fuckin' long story. It's…It's those damn ShinRa bastards…they fucking blew it all up. Those assholes ruined my dream of headin' into space and shit…I had my damn rocket all ready and shit and they gotta come and blow it up 'cause I decided that I wasn't gonna work for their asses…"

"You were going to work for SOLDIER?"

"Yeah, yeah…I was. I ain't gonna deny it. I sighed up for the space program…but they ended up closing before I got there. They wanted all their funding to go genetic research or somethin'…so I ended up declining them and started workin' for AVALANCHE since they were open to space and were starting their own program. Of course, those ShinRa bastards found out and came by this nice damn town and fucked everything up. They took out my rocket and practically blew up my goddamn house!"

_I feel your pain._

His temper flared a little, but he managed to calm down again. He felt Fenrir by his side, and reluctantly brought his hand down to stroke the top black dog's head. He had forgotten how much he liked dogs. "Yeahhh…been through a ton of shit, but I still got my britches pulled up high, and I still got my wife to live for…AND I still got this baby that I managed to keep safe."

"So!" The pilot slapped his hand on Cloud's shoulder and gave it a hard squeeze. The warrior winced in slight pain from his injury. "You lovebirds ready to fly?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter XX**

"Let's fly," Cloud replied.

"That's the spirit, kid!" Cid said as he jogged over to the ship's wheel. The man got himself situated and routinely began switching on the surrounding computer consoles that controlled and started the mammoth airship. His light eyes squinted as they browsed over the busy, flickering monitors that were displaying the ship's information to him. It took him a second before he hummed in satisfaction at the information presented to him. Everything looked good, and the ship was ready to go.

"She looks like she's ready to take flight! Let's start her up!" He said as smoke escaped his talking mouth.

He fiddled with the computer keyboard before pushing the starting button next to the wheel. Cloud could feel the floors rumble at his feet as the engines started up.

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

"Oh what the hell…" Cid muttered as he drew his face in close to one of the monitors.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked looking over her shoulder from the window view.

"The damn main deck is open! WHAT THE HELL! I thought I closed that damn door!"

A scratching noise suddenly echoed over the cockpit and a familiar voice came on the intercom.

"_Hi, Cid! I'm coming up to make sure all the engines are good."_

"SHERA? Goddammit, woman, I told you to stay back at the damn house!"

"_I know, but I couldn't help myself. I just wanted to make sure that everything was all good before you left. And I brought some more tea, crumpets, and cigarettes for you and the guests."_

Tifa quietly chuckled a little before whispering to Cloud. "She's one hell of a wife! She must really love him."

Cloud shrugged. "I'm just amazed on how she can live with the man."

"I bet he he's got a soft side…he probably just doesn't show it when guests are around," She said. "Like someone I know…"

Cid pinched his nose as a blood vein popped out from the side of his forehead. "That's why we have these DAMN COMPUTERS to make sure the engines are good!"

"_Ohh I'll only be a minute! Besides, you just never know with those computers…"_

"Ohh gods…for the love of Gaia…I'm takin' off!" Cid protested. He took hold of the wheel and pulled up to get the ship into the air.

The airship struggled as it lifted off the ground, causing Cloud and Tifa to hold on to the rails for balance and support. The whole ship shook violently and started to tilt to its side. Cid broke out into a sweat as he adjusted the wheel forcefully. He managed to get the ship back into its upright position and steady it into the air.

"Haven't you flown this thing before?" Cloud grumbled. His stomach started to twist and turn from all of the unstable motion.

"Hell yeah I have! Look, she's an old veteran…so cut her some slack! I've been improving her and shit since I've been livin' in that dump town. When I got her, she just all bolts and metal. But now look at her! She's a flyin' beauty! Have some faith, kid, damn," Cid replied.

"Have you had any crashes?" Tifa asked as she gazed down at the close mountains below them. Fenrir stood next to her with his head wedged out between the rail openings and his wet nose against the glass, gazing down with her.

"Uhhhhh…well…I mean not lately…"

"Not lately? What's lately?" Cloud frowned.

"Ya'll ask too many questions! Jus' shuddup and enjoy the fucking ride!"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

About an hour had passed since Cloud and everyone boarded the airship. They were moving at a surprisingly fast rate for the wasteland had already been long gone. They were flying above the ocean, and Fort Condor was yet to be in their sites. Tifa and Shera were glued to the open window in the cockpit, enjoying the sites as they gaze down at the blue waters. Everyone once in a while, Tifa would point out to the occasional wreaked warship or some kind of destroyed machine that would be floating around. Fenrir languidly accompanied Cid, who was sitting down on his chair behind the wheel and scratching the dog's neck and smoking. Cloud had pulled up a chair and sat next to the old man to relax as he awaited the thriving city.

"He's a good dog," Cid said as he smiled down at the animal.

"Yeah, he is," Cloud sighed.

"Did you find him out in the wasteland?"

"No. Reeve gave him to me when I was young."

"Ahhhh…I see. So who's all at Fort Condor, eh? Your uncle, obviously…but is your momma there or somethin'? And your dad?" Cid asked as smoke escaped through his teeth.

The blond warrior shook his head.

"He's the only one left."

"Oh…" Cid grunted. He shifted awkwardly in his chair and decided to maybe change the subject. His light eyes flickered over towards the dark haired woman out at the window. "Yeahhh…But…" He inhaled his cigarette. "You also got her too."

Cloud played a small grin on his face as his gaze fell over the brunette.

"Yeah."

"Does she make good tea?"

"_Tea_?"

"Damn, son…YES, TEA! What? Do I have to spell it out for ya'? Gods!" Cid yelled. The cigarette wedged between his teeth practically fell out.

_How the hell am I supposed to know?_

"Why the hell do you think I married Shera, eh? Her tea and crumpets are fucking amazin'!" Cid ripped the burnt cigarette from his gritting teeth and pointed it in Cloud's face. "If she got fucking good tea, I'm tellin' ya', put a ring on her damn finger."

Cloud slumped forward to rest his elbows on his knees. His thumb and index finger swept over his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose. He was growing weary of this conversation…and tea.

"Look, kid…I'm jus' givin' you the best advice possible, you know, as an 'elder' and shit. It's tea and cigs that keep this fucking world goin'. Mmmhmm."

"Okay…" Cloud said flatly. "Tea and cigs. Got it."

Cid gave a heartfelt wink and sat back in his chair. "Now you're gettin' it, Hahaha! But don't worry about it, son. You're still a youngster. Ya'll lovebirds still got alllll the damn time in the world and shit, especially since you'll be at Fort Condor. So don't hurry nothin'."

The warrior simply nodded and tried to give the impression that he was not in the mood to dive further in the discussion. But as Cid was about to open his big mouth once again, the floors began to rumble and shake. Cloud didn't know if that was a good thing, since it shut Cid up, or if karma was going to be a bitch again…which he suspected was. And he was right.

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Immediately Cid got on his feet and grabbed the steering wheel.

"Shera! Check them computers! What in fucking hell is goin' on?"

The woman was quick on her feet and hurried towards one of the alerting computers. Her eyes darted around the screen until she found the problem.

"It's one of the engines…there's something wrong…"

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?" Cid roared as his cigarette flew in the air and landed somewhere.

"Damn it, Cid! I told you!" Shera cursed as she shook her head. "I'm goin' down to check it out…keep this thing in the air!"

"Get goin', woman! I got this shit! We're jus' about there anyways…it's just…gonna be a little rough!"

"I see it!" Tifa suddenly shouted. "I see Fort Condor! It's just right there!"

_Finally!_

Cloud ran over to see for himself. He had never seen such a place in his whole entire life. High above Fort Condor sat an old statue of a huge Condor, a gigantic raptor that once dominated the skies. Its grand wings were spread wide open around the fort, like it was holding the surviving base in its shielding embrace. Fort Condor was much larger compared to North Corel, and had less of a military look to it. Lights came from the countless and modernized buildings, and he could see tiny soldiers out guarding the gates.

There it was. Everything he had worked so hard to get to was right there before his eyes. His uncle was down there somewhere within the massive walls of Fort Condor, and he would soon he down there to meet him. But first, he needed to survive the ride.

"SHERAAA! Report on that engine, _please_!" Cid impatiently shouted.

"_I'm still working on this engine, but I think it'll manage until we get to Fort Condor. Press on!"_

"_What_?" Tifa exclaimed.

"Roger! Get ready for land, hon!"

"No recent crashes, eh?" Cloud rumbled as he grabbed his stomach…sensing some motion sickness from the rough swaying.

_This will probably be my first and hopefully my last flight._

"Everybody jus' shuddup!" Cid snapped. The blood vein at his temple was showing again. "Get your asses ready…it's gonna be a bumpy landin'!"

Fort Condor was coming close dangerously fast. Suddenly those soldiers were so tiny.

"Okay! Everyone grab a landin' partner!"

Tifa grabbed hold of Cloud, and Fenrir latched his teeth onto the side of Cid's pants.

"Once you have your landin' partner, hold on tight to your britches! And maybe the rail or somethin'! W-whoa, whoa…Tifa, keep that kid's puke down! Damn…I mean the fucking dog is doin' better than him!"

Cloud ignored his comment and braced for landing. He took Tifa and held her under some cover and shut his eyes to wait for the airship to land. He could feel the rumbling at his feet become even more unstable as the ship descended rapidly out of the sky.

"Come on, baby! Get on that landing pad!" He could hear Cid say.

_BOOM!_

He felt his body jerk forward out from under one of the computer desks. He let out a small 'Oomph!' as his back slammed against the rails. His hand reflexively reached out and grabbed hold of it as the ship crashed inside of Fort Condor. The loud noise of breaking glass and metal deafened him and for a brief moment and everything was a blur.

Seconds later there was nothing but the sound of ringing in his ears. His eyes snapped open, seeing Tifa shaking him and calling out his name. It took him a moment before he could hear again.

"–oud! Cloud!"

He rubbed his head. His stomach felt insanely sick.

"Cloud…are you okay?" Tifa asked as Cloud shakily stood up. The airship was half faced into the ground, and it was swarmed with AVALANCHE soldiers. The huge glass window in the cockpit was cracked with a huge, gaping hole, from where the soldiers and medical staff immediately came rushing in. Shera was standing with a group of soldiers, explaining something about the engine.

"Yeah…yeah I'm okay…"

Tifa placed her hands on her hips. "You took most of the landing impact and had glass fly in your face. Are you _sure_?" She asked in disbelief.

"Ahhh _FUCK_! How the _FUCK_ did I _miss_ the fucking landing pad! _Shit_!" Cid cursed aloud.

"Sir, this is the _fifth_ time you've missed the landing pad…" An AVALANCHE soldier next to Cid said. "And you've, once again, failed to radio in your departure and arrival…"

"Ehhhhhhhh…" Cid scratched his temple and looked off in Cloud's direction.

The soldier held up his hand. "However, we've received word from North Corel that you were flying in Mister Tuesti's nephew an–"

"Riiiight there!" Cid pointed. "That's the kid. And this here is his dog." The soldier looked down at Fenrir, who stared inanely back and totally unharmed by the crash.

The soldier shrugged and made his way over to Cloud and Tifa.

"Mister Cloud Stife?" He asked.

The blond nodded. "Yeah."

"Please come with me…Mister Tuesti is on his way to the crash site."

Cloud nodded. He followed the soldier out along with Tifa and Fenrir.

The sun seemed bright as the three made their way out of the rubble and into the sunlight. Cloud's eyes squinted as they adjusted to the brightness. Medical assistance came rushing to him, but he waved them off as a familiar figure came rushing from the horizon with a group of AVALANCHE soldiers. Reeve came to him with a warm smile and welcoming open arms.

"Cloud! You made it!"

A wave of exhaustion fell over him as he played a grin on his face and embraced his uncle. He was finally reunited with the last of his family once again. After the hugs, introductions, and the telling of long happenings and events that the trio had endured throughout their journey across Gaia, Reeve got an escort ready to take the trio home to their awaiting new and safe home. Reeve beckoned them over as he got the vehicle ready.

Fenrir happily ran ahead, leaving the two alone. Cloud turned to Tifa and wrapped his strong arms around her waist as he looked into the depths of her brown eyes.

"We've reached salvation," He said groggily.

"We've reached home," Tifa said and smiled.

He genuinely smiled back before placing his lips against hers.

_I'm home._

~ Fin.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Wow! It's finally complete! Thanks everyone for reading and for all of your support. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I have. I especially want to thank my fellow reviewers out there! If you have some written work posted, I will definitely take some time to read over them. I will be producing more stories in the future…so if you're interest, just check back on my profile. Thanks again, everyone! (:


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